Hightech is not for Ryoma
by ayane04
Summary: RyoSaku Ryoma’s in a tight spot. High tech never his thing, so Momo came to his aid…or more like a certain pigtailed girl came to his aid…but is there more to it? And what happens when he's chosen for the role in charge of the lighting for a school play
1. Chapter 1

High-tech is not for Ryoma

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS (if I did I would want ryoma and sakuno together but sadly I do not own pot, so--) **_Prince of Tennis belongs to Takeshi Konomi_**

**Summary: **Ryoma's in a tight spot. Computers were never his thing, so Momo came to his aid… or more like a certain pig-tailed girl came to his aid….but is there more to it than helping him with the computer?

A/N This fanfic does not contain extreme ryosaku-ness at first. But it does have fluff in it later on, don't worry xD

Note:

_Ryoma's thoughts_

((----))

"OYAJI!!" Ryoma yelled. He was having damn problems with the computer again. Yes, the prince of tennis, prodigy third-year is having problems. Ryoma had never really used a computer. Heck, he hardly ever touched one. In his opinion, computers ceased to exist in his tennis world, meaning that his skills in using a computer were equal to that of a first-year.

But his school required the use of computers more and more, and Ryoma was given a private computer as a birthday present.

_**Flashback**_

"Ryoma-san?" Nanako called. Ryoma's college student cousin entered his room, holding a huge cardboard box, with a big red label that said _fragile_.

Ryoma frowned.

"What the hell is that?" Ryoma said, knitting his eyebrows together. Doesn't look like anything to do with tennis…

"That's right, Ryoma-san! It's got nothing to do with tennis!" Nanako said, somewhat joyfully, reading his mind.

"Then what is it supposed to be?" Ryoma looked at the wrapped up present curiously.

"its a…. _TA DA_!" Nanako ripped the wrappings and the lid of the cardboard box out the way. "A COMPUTER!!"

_**End flashback**_

Thinking about it really pissed him off. He didn't need computers; he would have been more happy with a few tennis balls. Now he was stuck with his science essay on human reproduction. Just thinking about the subject made his cheeks go red._ Yeah, what kind of topic is that supposed to be? I'll be labeled a pervert! T.T_

Ryoma scowled.

"Shounen, I'm in the bathroom, whatever it is, sort it out yourself!" Nanjiroh shouted, causing Ryoma to cover his ears.

Ryoma sighed. Today really wasn't his day.

He'd have to call help to his senpais then, since his mom and Nanako were out. _Momo-senpai's gonna be so damn annoying…and Fuji and Inui-senpai are gonna laugh at me--- how embarrassing…_

Sighing in resignation, Ryoma dialed Momo's home no.

"Momo-senpai?"

"Echizen..? What is it?"

"…I need your help with the computer. Science thingy. Could come over to my house?"

"Demo Echizen, I'm no pro at computer technology. Inui-senpai maybe, but he's out. I was gonna ask him out to eat burgers and discuss his special serve on – "

"Ok, ok, so are you free or not?" Ryoma cut in, feeling extremely tired.

"I guess…. But can I ask two other people to come?"

"Why?"

"I told you, computer's not my thing. So I'll have a pro to come over." Momo sniggered inwardly. This is gonna be fun, Momo thought.

"Fine. As long as its not Fuji-senpai," Ryoma warned.

"Ok, ok, but then Fuji-senpai would be oh so glad to help." Momo grinned.

"Hn. I don't need his _help_," Ryoma said bluntly.

(00--_tick tick_… 10-15 mins later--00)

_Ding! Dong! _Ryoma opened the door, rubbing his eyes, feeling awfully tired.

"Momo-senpai, you're late, you could have got here in 5 mins if you wanted –" Ryoma's eyes went wide at who else was standing with Momo outside. Long, auburn pigtails came in view. Ryoma found himself looking right into round, innocent chocolate-coloured eyes.

"Ry-ryoma-kun," stuttered Sakuno.

"Ryuzaki… what are you doing here?" Ryoma asked her in disbelief. Momo smirked.

"She's our pretty little pro, Echizen," a hyper red-head piped up.

"Eiji-senpai…" Ryoma's eyes widened.

"Eiji-senpai decided to come along, that's all," Momo grinned. "He was bored, so he came."

Ryoma twitched. He wasn't expecting Eiji-senpai to come over as well, much less Ryuzaki. Ryuzaki couldn't possibly be a pro in computer technology. She was clumsy at everything, and her tennis was… let's not go to the details. Anyhow, it was quite… _awful_. What was Momo up to?

00(in Ryoma's bedroom)00

Sakuno had taken over on the computer, and was briefly glancing at his two-word essay, as well as a few websites he used for research. It turned out Ryoma was having trouble in saving the document in the place he wanted. Plus he didn't know how to change the name of the file afterwards.

Sakuno felt her face heat up slightly at the diagrams of… but she let it pass quickly. Momo sniggered in the background.

"Ne Echizen, those websites… are you sure this is a science project? Or is it just an excuse to look at perverted sites?" Momo smirked, causing Ryoma's cheeks to turn slightly red.

"No!" Ryoma snarled back. Sakuno giggled. _Great, now she's gonna think I'm a closet pervert---_

"There! All done, Ryoma-kun," Sakuno said, pointing to his renamed essay.

Still angry at Momo's jibe, Ryoma muttered, "Thanks."

"Demo, Ryoma-kun, you should have known all this, Sensei taught us about it a last lesson." Sakuno looked at him curiously. Ryoma flushed and Momo and Eiji saw it.

"He was probably sleeping wasn't he?" Eiji piped. Sakuno frowned slightly, then giggled.

Swallowing a huge gulp of air, Sakuno managed to push away her shy thoughts and uncertainty. She leaned over to Ryoma's face, so that their faces were an inch away from each other.

Flicking his forehead, Sakuno stretched her face into a smile.

"Mada mada dane, Ryoma-kun."

Ryoma froze. Having his own trademark thrown back at him was quite a shock. But then, Ryoma found a way to counter-attack and reduce Ryuzaki back to her shy self at once.

Ryoma gently grabbed her school uniform collar and pressed his lips on hers.

As soon as she felt it, Ryoma had drawn back. Sakuno's face turned to tomato red. Momo and Eiji's faces were a picture. Then they immediately jumped up and high-fived (A/N What'd you call it?) each other, whooping and whistling like kids who found hidden candies in the kitchen.

Sakuno, desperately tried to cover up her embarrassment and the fact that her face was very red got up and stuttering about her obaa-chan going to worry about her, she practically ran out the room. Ryoma smirked.

"Oi, Ryuzaki-chan, we're coming with you," yelled Momo and Eiji together as they ran out Ryoma's room as well. Ryoma heard the door click, and knew that his friends and Ryuzaki had gone home. Ryoma smirked again.

_Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki_

((----))

A/N How was it?? Please review Thank You


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

A/N Hi!! I've updated!! Thanks for the reviews I really really appreciate it. Chapter 2 basically expresses Ryoma's uncertainty about his feelings for Sakuno. (He's never fallen in love before winks)

Note, a few changes:

_Ryoma's logical self_

**_Ryoma's more complicated, and maybe even "sly" self_**

Ryoma let out a slight pant. Sweat slid off his face. He dragged his legs off the court and to the bench. Grabbing a towel, he wiped his face.

Momo sat down next to him, also wiping his face with a towel.

"Echizen, you're pretty aggressive today," Momo panted, grinning. He ruffled Ryoma's hair.

"Ow."

"Hey, I heard you third-years are organizing a Shakespeare play...Romeo and Juliet was it?" Momo smirked at him.

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Hn."

"You gonna be Romeo?" Momo said, slyly.

Receiving no response from the ice-cold third-year tennis captain, he tried again.

"Ryuzaki'll probably be Juliet."

Ryoma stiffened. _Ryuzaki eh? …_

Ryoma sat in the classroom, looking out the window with apprehension. He hated this. The teacher was calling out each student's name to tell them their role in the play.

"Echizen Ryoma," the teacher read from her clipboard.

"Hai…" Ryoma replied lazily. He twirled his pencil around, waiting impatiently for his role in the play; he wanted this over with quickly.

The teacher glanced at him. "You are going to be the Prince."

_**WTF??**_

_No way in hell. I am not going to be a prince._

Following his thoughts exactly Ryoma shot up from his seat. Keeping his eyes emotionless, he bluntly said, "No."

Frowning at him, the teacher then asked, "Then…then what do you want to be?"

_Crap! What am I supposed to say?_

Feeling the numerous eyes upon him, including the teacher's, he said quickly, "I wanna do lighting."

The teacher looked at him, eyebrows knitted together. She nodded slowly, then wrote something on her clipboard.

_Now… just what had he landed himself into?_

Ryoma stuck his hands in his pocket, and wandered to his favourite place in the school (apart from the tennis courts), the roof.

Lying leisurely on the ground, with his tennis bag as a pillow, Ryoma was just closing his eyes and welcoming a nice nap, when a disturbing noise reached his ears.

The door creaked.

Ryoma opened one eye and watched to see who opened the door. Long auburn pigtails, green dress, and small petite body came in view.

_Ryuzaki_.

"R-Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno said inquiringly at him. She sat down next to him, then took out her lunchbox and with a tiny voice she said to him, "W-what are you doing here?"

"……Sleep." Ryoma replied lazily. **_Of course…_**

Sakuno frowned slightly. Then she started eating, almost ignoring Ryoma. Suddenly, she handed him a pair of chopsticks. Ryoma looked at the chopsticks, dumbfounded.

"Ryoma-kun, you want some?"

Ryoma looked hesitantly at the lunch.

Then, before he knew it, he was sharing a lunch with Ryuzaki Sakuno.

Ryoma was watching the clouds while eating. He liked to this because then he wouldn't have to meet the girl's eye and answer awkward questions. Or so he thought.

"Ryoma-kun," Sakuno began. "What are you in the play? (A/N in this fanfic, Ryoma and Sakuno are in different classes so…)"

He groaned inwardly; why did she have to pick this topic of all topics? Why not tennis? Chewing away his current complaints in his head, he swallowed another piece of sushi.

"…I was first chosen to be Romeo, but didn't want that, so now I'm in the lighting crew."

Sakuno's eyes widened. Then she let out a laugh. Seeing Ryoma's face, she quickly reduced it to a small chuckle.

"You, lighting? Demo Ryoma-kun, your skills in high tech…."

Ryoma twitched. She didn't have to rub it in. That was the _exact_ problem. Seeing Ryoma's uncomfortable reaction, Sakuno felt sorry for him.

"..Gomenasai Ryoma-kun I didn't mean to say that. I just thought maybe you need some help?"

Ryoma looked up at the word 'help'.

"What'd you mean?"

"…W-well… I-I'm in the l-lighting c-crew as well s-so I thought y-you needed some h-help…" Sakuno was back to stuttering.

Without thinking, Ryoma retorted coolly, "Do I look like I need your help?"

Sakuno, hurt, got up shakily.

"M-Maybe it's b-better that i-I should g-go now." She tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out her chocolate orbs. Ryoma swore inwardly. He hadn't meant to say that; he didn't mean it, it just came out of his mouth before he could stop it. But the damage was done.

Sakuno shakily packed up her lunchbox, and was about to leave, when Ryoma grabbed her wrist.

Sakuno didn't look at him, because she didn't want him to see her tears.

"Please…let go of me," She whispered.

"…Listen." Ryoma said finally. He pulled her wrist, forcing her body to go backwards. Falling backwards, Sakuno lost her balance.

Ryoma groaned. He reached forward and caught Sakuno even though he was in a sitting position at first. Sakuno petite body fell and landed on Ryoma, her head bumping gently on his upper chest, meaning that some of her hair tickled his chin.

Silence prevailed.

Sakuno's warm chocolate eyes looked straight into Ryoma's hazel ones. Ryoma felt himself melting into them. He couldn't understand this feeling…

Sakuno's face turned to ten different shades of red. Ryoma felt his face heat up slightly too. _Uh oh… you're not falling for her are you? Cause once you fall, that's it. _

Sakuno immediately jumped off him. Ryoma was sweating. _WHERE IS THAT DAMN HAT WHEN I NEED IT?_

"Ano… Ryoma-kun, um i-its almost end of l-lunchtime…I n-need to get b-back t-to my c-classroom…" Sakuno stuttered, and she grabbed her lunchbox and ran out the door. This time, Ryoma didn't stop her, because he was in a too much of a daze himself. _What was that?_

Rubbing his temples, he gathered himself and his tennis bag and exited the roof too. On his way to class, he bumped into Eiji-senpai.

"Oi ochibi! What's up?" Eiji said in his usual hyper voice. Ryoma looked like he was unconsciously walking; he was too immersed in his own thoughts about what happened a few minutes ago.

"..Ne, ochibi… doushita no?" Eiji frowned. He waved his hand in front of Ryoma's face. Ryoma snapped.

"Naniyo, Eiji-senpai?" Ryoma muttered.

"You were acting weird," Eiji folded his arms.

"No."

"Yes you were nya!"

"No, Eiji-senpai." With that, Ryoma glared at Eiji-senpai and walked away.

Eiji looked at Ryoma's back, said out loud, "What's with ochibi today?" Shrugging, he walked away. Meanwhile Ryoma was struggling to make sense of what happened on the roof.

**_You KNOW what happened. Its just you're too stubborn to admit you have these 'feelings' going through your mind._**

Scowling, Ryoma stuck his hands in his pockets. _What a long day._

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A/N Chapter 3 might be out after a few days, depends really. Please review!!! I get more spirit when writing if I know I've got more reviews


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS (Prince of Tennis belongs to Takeshi Konomi)**

A/N Chapter 3 Thanks for the reviews xD So happy Just to note, um well maybe people have noticed that Tomoka Osakada didn't come up at all in the last two chapters. So I was wondering maybe you guys want her to show up?

I'm not sure, I'm not that keen on her myself, because she can be so annoying sometimes. But then she does stick up for Sakuno and IS a loyal friend ;) so… I've decided to put her in later on but she won't get in the way

((00-00))

The bell rang. With a sigh of utmost relief, Ryoma packed up his books and was the first out of the door, however, managing to do this all very gracefully. Horio, Kachiro and Katsuo looked at his back, confused.

"Hey, don't you think Echizen's more moody lately?" Horio put up his normal gesture of putting his thumb up against the right side of his chin, and the fore finger up the left side of his chin.

Kachiro and Katsuo nodded rhythmically. "There's definitely something wrong with Ryoma-kun, ne?" Kachiro said worriedly.

"I'm pretty sure he's sick."

The trio jumped at the sudden, yet still familiar voice.

A smile stretched on Fuji's face.

"Fuji-senpai!" the trio said together. Confused at Fuji's last sentence, Horio asked, "What'd you mean, sick?"

"Do you mean he's got a cold?" Kachiro asked. He looked up at the blue-orbed tensai. Fuji smiled.

"No… he's most likely _lovesick_."

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Ryoma ruffled his hair. He was feeling quite elated, for there was no rehearsal for the play until next week. Yet again, something was nagging him. That's right, it was the little voice in Ryoma's rather dense head.

**_You still haven't made up to her yet. When are you planning to do so? She's gonna get further and further away from you if you're not careful enough. _**

…_I don't know. Can't really face her yet… and who will want to date her anyways? Only idiots will… with her level of tennis and her main advantage is – clumsiness T.T_

…

_But maybe I should apologize…_

Ryoma scowled slightly. He hated when things got complicated. He shouldn't even be thinking of that girl too. Musing over his own thoughts, Ryoma didn't notice the frantic pit-pat of someone's shoes on the ground, as they got nearer and nearer to him.

Ryoma turned around and saw Sakuno, her eyes wide and panting slightly.

"Ryoma-kun!..." Sakuno said, looking up to him.

Ryoma frowned slightly. That girl always appeared out of nowhere, and more of a fact that he didn't want to see her just yet sunk deeper. He hoped she wouldn't bring up the subject of what happened a few days ago up in the roof.

Then again, he knew whatever Sakuno had to say would probably be bad news to him…

"R-ryoma-kun… the rehearsal for the play was … rescheduled…" Sakuno blurted out.

"So?" Ryoma replied dryly. _I can check the bulletin myself, thanks (sarcastic)._

"A-and..i-it's… t-today," Sakuno stuttered again. She tried not to catch eye-contact with him.

Ryoma's eyes widened. _Wtf?! Then what's gonna happen to the match I have with oyaji in half an hour's time?_

Ryoma narrowed his eyes at Sakuno, as if it was her fault that he wouldn't be able to play a match with his old man. Sakuno backed away.

"…Let's go then." Ryoma said, scowling, though Sakuno didn't see this.

Tears threatened to leak out from her eyes, but she forced them back. Her eyes were downcast as she followed Ryoma back to the hall.

A/N sorry, just had to pull those three "ichinens" in here xD. Of course, in this story they're not "first-years" anymore.

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_20 minutes later_

_BANG! CRASH!_

The students acting on stage jumped. The drama teacher, Kumi-sensei, winced.

Eerie silence followed.

"Echizen-kun?! Doushita no? Nani katta no?" Kumi-sensei ran up out the hall and up the little section above the seating where the lighting crew was. Actually, the crew only consisted Ryoma, Sakuno and two other formidable, second-years, but the teacher used Ryoma to represent the lighting crew, so technically, Ryoma was the leader.

Kumi-sensei's eyes nearly popped out.

In front of her was looked like complete pandemonium. The wires were all over the place and the chairs had fallen over. The curtain at the side had fallen off and covered half of the lighting set.

Kumi-sensei stared at them, at loss at what to say. The two second-years, Megumi and Daisuke backed away slightly.

"What on earth is going on here?"

"E-eto.. K-kumi-sensei…a-ano..." Sakuno tried to say, but just then the other side of the curtain fell. The bar holding the curtain fell with it.

Ryoma saw this and tried to stand up but his legs and half of his torso was covered with wires.

The bar banged onto Sakuno's head, and with a small "oh!" Sakuno fell on the floor, unconscious. Kumi-sensei forgot her anger immediately and rushed to her side.

"Ryuzaki-san? Ryuzaki-san! Can you hear me?"

Ryoma swore loudly and yanked the wires off him, roughly pulling them off in attempt to be at Sakuno's side at once.

He could feel his heart beat a little faster.

_What is this feeling? Why do I feel so worried? I don't care the hell about that pig-tailed girl!_

_**Che. You should really film yourself and see your own reaction and expression when you saw her unconscious. **_

_You shut up. You're the one that's confusing me…_

**_Hmm… isn't it actually the auburn-haired girl who's confusing you? Don't go putting the blame on me, blockhead!_**

Ryoma gritted his teeth. He really couldn't stand himself.

"She should go to the infirmary at once… Daisuke, Megumi, please sort out this mess. Oh, and try and help Echizen-kun there, he's in a mess himself," Kumi-sensei said quickly.

But when she turned around, Ryoma had untangled himself already. Kumi-sensei changed her mind quickly.

"On second thoughts, Echizen-kun, you can take Ryuzaki-san to the infirmary. Is it alright? Tell me about her condition when you come back." With that, she left them hurriedly to attend to the rest of the students waiting downstairs.

Ryoma groaned. _Why the hell do teachers always leave things to me? Do I look like Superman to you?_

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He wrapped his arms around her body, and lifted her up. Carrying her bridal-style, he walked through the silent halls, feeling extremely annoyed.

He studied her light, porcelain face. Starting from her bangs at the left side, he found his fingers unconsciously caressing them, feeling the softness of her auburn hair. Her closed eye-lids, and slightly curved up eyelashes. Finally, he came to her lips. They were pink, tainted with a small smack of white from the light outside. They were slightly parted.

They looked soft. _Will they feel soft too?_

_**omg... what are you saying?**_

Ryoma groaned again. What was he thinking? Was his hormones finally kicking in? But his inner selfs weren't giving up yet.

…_She's actually pretty light._

**_Yeah… "the perfect girl for me" you missed out._**

_Get lost. I don't like her. She's not my type._

**_You know, you're lucky it's now after school… or the whole school will be watching you carry her around by now._**

Ryoma shuddered at the thought. Turning around the corner, he arrived at the infirmary. He knocked the door.

A purple-haired woman wearing a nurse uniform opened the door, and seeing the scene in front her eyes, she immediately let him in and took Sakuno from his hands.

"I'll think she'll be fine. She's just unconscious……" Her voice drifted away, because Ryoma was not paying attention to her.

He was beginning to feel quite empty after Sakuno was taken from him. He liked the kind of softness of her against him.

…_You are going insane._

((00-00))

A/N how was it??? Please review!!! Thanks xD


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

**_Mada mada dane if you didn't know that _**says Ryoma. xD

A/N Hi!! Lol another chapter here xD its lucky its holidays or I really can't manage to write at all cause from Mondays to Fridays I'm banned from the comp during school days taking advantage of holidays lol

((00-00))

The wind swept in through the windows. The curtains swished slightly, causing the neatly piled tissues on the nurse's table to flicker up slightly.

The nurse bustled around, trying to contact the patient (A/N xD guess who)'s relatives.

Ryoma sighed. He was sitting next to Sakuno, who was lying on the soft, white bed, looking perfectly innocent. He leaned closer to her face.

Here he was.

Studying her face again.

"Echizen-kun, right? I'm need to get some documents and forms for Ryuzaki-san, can you watch over her while I'm gone? She'll be okay, she'll come around soon," the nurse said hurriedly. She left the infirmary with a click.

Ryoma groaned again. He covered his face with his hands. **_Why do people treat me like I can handle everything? Dude, I'm only 14!_**

… _ONLY 14… you're not a kid anymore, you're supposed to be able to handle most things and watching over Ryuzaki is fine as long as those hormones won't take over me._

Reaching over to her face, he inched slowly to her hair. He entangled it with his fingers, playing with it.

-

-

Suddenly, Sakuno stirred.

Ryoma snatched his hand back as quick as lightning. _Crap, is she awake?_

Sakuno's eyes slowly fluttered open. It was a relief to see her light chocolate orbs again.

"…R-ryoma…kun?"

"...Hn."

Sakuno sat up, gazing around the room. "What happened?"

"You fell unconscious after that bar thingy hit your head," Ryoma said dryly. Sakuno looked confused.

"How did I get here?" _Did that bar permanently hit some brain cells out?_

"…Hn." Ryoma replied with his usual one word. He stood up and leaned against the wall, sticking his hands into his pockets.

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Silence followed.

Sakuno's eyebrow twitched. She hated it when someone ignored her. Then again, she had no courage to talk back to him and lecture him about his lack of effort to… expanding his sentences.

"A-ano… Ryoma-kun… can you answer my question p-please?" Sakuno said timidly. She fidgeted with her fingers.

Ryoma sighed again. "I _carried_ you here, ok?"

Sakuno's eyes widened. Her cheeks flushed with red, she said nothing. Upon seeing her reaction, Ryoma smirked.

Sakuno wanted to talk back, but she was starting to get a headache. "I-itte…"

Ryoma turned to her, slightly alarmed. **_You wanted to ask, "Are you ok?" didn't you?_** But Ryoma, having much self-control and his ego to protect, he kept silent.

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Sakuno rubbed her temples, while Ryoma was founding it extremely uncomfortable being alone with this girl. He walked over to her, planning to tell her he'd leave her because he had other things to be getting on with.

And wouldn't you know, the ice-cold prince of tennis _tripped._

Over the chair he was sitting in before.

"…KYAAA!!" Sakuno's eyes widened with fright. Ryoma fell right on top of her.

And, to top it all, his legs were between hers, and his face was barely an inch away from her. (A/N typical eh xD)

Silence prevailed.

The wind brushed into their shocked faces. Sakuno's cheeks reddened.

_Shit… just why do these things happen to me all the time?_

Sakuno felt Ryoma's hot breath on her, and reddened even more (A/N if that's possible). Ryoma could feel the softness of her body against his…_SHUT UP. DUDE YOU ARE A PERV!_ He could have slapped himself mentally. What the hell was he thinking?

Yet again, he couldn't deny it _did_ feel good. Ryoma was sweating.

"A-ano… Ryoma-kun…"

_That's it. _After witnessing her full pink lips utter his name so smoothly, he couldn't stand it anymore.

Dipping down, he captured her lips into his. It started off as a sweet kiss. One that wasn't supposed to last long.

When he was about to pull away, Sakuno wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down; this time it was she who took initiative. Before he knew it, he had undone her braids and let them flow.

Then he clutched them lightly as they continued. _Hmm… strawberries…_

Sakuno stringed her fingers through his dark green hair, feeling a burning sensation within her. She finally stopped the kiss, feeling the need to breathe.

Ryoma smirked at her.

He moved his lips to her ear, tickling her skin with his hot breath.

"…Ryuzaki, strawberries are the best, aren't they?" He whispered as he tapped her lips lightly with his forefinger.

Sakuno blushed. She squirmed slightly. Ryoma was about to get off her, when the door of the infirmary opened.

Ryoma and Sakuno's heads turned to that direction.

"…"

Three people who stood at the doorway froze at the sight before them.

"ECHIZEN!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RYUZAKI-CHAN???" Momo shrieked. But he wasn't alone.

"NYA!! OCHIBI! YOU'VE GROWN! …Into a pervert…" Eiji ended the sentence with a cute frown.

Fuji's beautiful (A/N I just had to say that… because it's true xD) eyes were opened for a split second, before they resumed back to the mischievous curve. He smiled.

"…Ne, Echizen, you're quite the man aren't you?"

Leaping off Sakuno in a instant, Ryoma groaned. _Why the frickin' hell do they have to be here? And they had to see our "not-so-innocent position" too!_ _I've just lost all respect I could ever get from them! My image is finished!!!..._

Sakuno immediately began putting her hands in front of the senpais' faces. "W-we w-weren't d-doing anything! D-don't mistake i-it, s-senpai-tachi!"

Fuji's smile became wider, while Eiji and Momo sniggered. Momo knew they didn't do anything of "that sort" but teasing them was fun.

Ryoma sighed. At least they weren't yelling at the top of their voices that he tried to take advantage of Sakuno, which was so not true. He grumbled and stuck his hands in his pockets. He glanced over at Sakuno, who was still sitting forlornly on the bed, her cheeks frightfully red.

"…Ne, Echizen, Ryuzaki-chan. Look over here," the blue-orbed tensai said, waving one hand.

Ryoma and Sakuno heads both turned around.

_Click!_

Fuji…took a photo.

Poking his face out from behind the camera, he said, "I think the school bulletin board team will be interested in posting up an article about you two. How about it, Echizen?" He smiled sadistically at Ryoma.

Ryoma looked ready to kill him. _Wtf!! That yarou!!_ **_Actually I'm glad._** Ryoma felt disgusted.

However, Fuji made no reaction to Ryoma's currently boiling glare, and the sharpness of those cat-like hazel eyes.

He just continued to smile.

Meanwhile, Momo and Eiji crowded around Sakuno, began asking her awkward questions. Ryoma scowled at this. He grabbed Sakuno's hand and with a tug, he forced her to stand and they exited out the infirmary.

Sakuno's hand was clutching her head. "Ryoma-kun… I'm …s-still… not s-so recovered y-yet…"

Ryoma glanced at her and saw her now scrunched up in pain face. He felt guilt claw at his insides. He hadn't meant to drag her out so suddenly, but at the same time, he didn't want to stay in there with his senpais and get tortured slowly with questions and comments.

"…s-samui…" Sakuno whispered. She shivered and crossed her arms over her chest. It was true that outside the infirmary was colder; it was now autumn and Ryoma, being a fit teenager because he played tennis, was not cold.

But Sakuno was.

And Ryoma could see it too.

He took off his jacket.

Then he put the jacket over Sakuno from behind her. Sakuno looked up. She blushed.

Finally, she whispered, "…Arigatou, Ryoma-kun." She thought Ryoma didn't hear that, but he did.

He smirked. _Ryuzaki, you're not very competent, are you?_

((00-00))

Note:

yarou – bastard

samui – cold

A/N yayyy finished this chapter at last!! Please review You review, me happy xp


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

How many times will I have to say it…hmm..

A/N Hi again… thaaaanks for reviewing!!! OMG i am sooo sorry, I couldn't update cause for some reason my computers won't let me upload the document thingy. So sorry if I made you wait xD I really really enjoy reviews; they make my day xD. Right now, Ryoma and Sakuno's relationship here seems so smooth I think maybe I'll make a little more bumpy, or else there's no story at all

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"Ryoma-san! Please will you get up? It's 6:45 already! You're going to be late for school!"

Ryoma rolled over, grabbing his pillow and covering his head with it, trying to muffle out Nanako's sharp voice. There was silence. _Ahh...she's stopped…good for her…hmmm…._

Just as he was going to fall back into his beauty sleep, his door banged open. Nanako and Nanjiroh stood at his door. Ryoma grumbled. _Couldn't anyone let me sleep peacefully in this house? Che…_

Nanjiroh smirked. He thought up an excellent plan to get his son out of the bed. Wearing a large mischievous grin on his face, he approached the side of the bed.

"Oi, shounen!"

Ryoma grunted. He blearily opened one eye, ready to tell his oyaji to "get lost" when he caught sight of the _object_ being shown in front of his face.

He froze.

Right in front of his eyes, Nanjiroh was holding one of those _DIRTY_ magazines, and the page he had turned to display a woman wearing very revealing black bikini and was winking at him very suggestively.

It was too much for a young teen like Ryoma.

"OYAJI!! GET THAT _THING_ OUT OF MY SIGHT!!!" Ryoma yelled, covering his innocent eyes. Nanako also saw the dirty magazine and began to lecture Nanjiroh. Nanjiroh, flushing, but smirking only said, "It's time you woke up, Ryoma."

Grumbling, Ryoma yawned and got off the bed. He felt fur graze along his bare legs. He looked down.

"…Karupin…" Ryoma said, smiling very slightly. He ruffled Karupin's fur, then proceeded to change.

As he took off his nightshirt, he saw on the usual pile of uniform ironed and clean waiting for him on the chair that his jacket was missing.

…_Oh yeah, I lend it to Ryuzaki…_

Feeling his stomach knot up at the mention of that braided girl, he quickly drove his thoughts away to another subject.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Echizen-kun, you next." The teacher said without looking up.

The whole class was sitting down and they were doing reading together. Which meant that one person would stand up and read a paragraph, and then the teacher chooses another person to read out the next. Except Ryoma was not paying attention.

He was looking almost longingly at the tennis courts outside. He twirled his pencil, not noticing that the teacher was glaring at him.

"Echizen-kun."

Silence.

"Echizen-kun."

Silence again. The class was starting to snigger.

"FOR THE LAST TIME, ECHIZEN-KUN!!"

Ryoma jerked. He looked up and blinked in confusion as to why the teacher was glaring at him so badly and why the whole class was staring and sniggering at him.

"…Nani?"

With that, the whole class erupted into peals of laughter.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

_Ring!! Ring! _It was end of school and the teacher was keeping Ryoma in.

"So, Echizen-kun, you can write me an essay as to why you were showing lack of interest in my lesson. That is all. You may go."

Ryoma turned around and left the staffroom, scowling. Walking along the halls to his locker, he took out his tennis bag, when he suddenly remembered there was practice for the play today.

But there was also tennis practice after school. _Damn…he'd totally forgotten to tell the tennis club…_

Sighing, he ran to the tennis courts and passed on the message to his vice-captain. Putting his precious white cap on, he took his time walking to the hall.

-

-

Meanwhile, Sakuno was waiting in the lighting section, with the two other second-years. She was tapping her foot. She hated when someone was late. True, when she was younger she used to be always late. But now she was older, she'd put some work into changing that.

"Ryuzaki-san? We're starting! Is everything ready up there?" Kumi-sensei shouted from below.

Daisuke (one of the second-years) yelled back at her, "No. We're not ready. We're missing the leader."

Kumi-sensei growled.

Sakuno sighed heavily. Ryoma sure wasn't putting a lot of effort into this play.

Suddenly she heard the pit-pat of shoes against the floor. She turned around and saw Ryoma leisurely and certainly taking his time in walking. She twitched.

"Ne, Ryoma-kun! You're late! Kumi-sensei's already very angry…" Sakuno nearly shouted. Ryoma scowled. _She can sure NOT stutter when she wants to…_

(_15 minutes passed)_

"All set?! Right, action!" Ryoma could hear Kumi-sensei yell. Ryoma rolled his eyes. Sakuno looked disapprovingly at him.

"Ryoma-san, press number 8 in set 1 and number 2 in set 2 now," Megumi (the other second-year) said quickly. Ryoma muttered a "che" before he moved in to press them.

Except he pressed number 7 instead of number 8 and number 1 instead of number 2.

And he turned the spotlight for the main character straight off causing him to talk in darkness. Sakuno's eyebrows knitted together.

Flushing slightly, Ryoma moved it again to correct it, but accidentally hit set 3 and caused all lights to go off.

Sakuno groaned. Ryoma pulled his hat lower. _…Dude, you really DO suck in high tech don't you…_

**_Shut up! I'm you!_**

Putting the lights up again, Ryoma trying not show his flushing face. Kumi-sensei came storming up to the lighting section.

"Will you tell me what the problem here is?" She growled. "Ryuzaki-san, who was in charge of doing set 1 and 2, number 8 and 2 for scene 4?"

Silence followed.

Megumi and Daisuke glanced at each other. Sakuno looked down. Daisuke had opened his mouth to speak, when Sakuno cut in, and to Ryoma's utter surprise and horror, she said, "Atashi desu, Kumi-sensi."

Ryoma had to fight the urge that tempted to drop his mouth open.

Sakuno took the blame for him?

_**She must really love you, mate.**_

_Che._

Kumi-sensei's expression did not soften. "Ryuzaki-san, I expected better than this. It seems I was mistaken. Megumi can be the leader now, and Ryuzaki-san I expect improvement for the next practices or you will have to forfeit your position in the play."

Ryoma could clearly see that tears were going to fall, but Sakuno fought them back. "Hai."

Ryoma sweated. Guilt was clawing and suffocating him. It wasn't the first time Sakuno made him feel this way too. _Damn it…_

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"R-ryoma-kun… y-you can j-just go now," Sakuno's tears were falling, but she desperately wiped them away with her arm as she collected her things from her locker. Ryoma was standing near her, silent as ever. He didn't know what to say.

To apologize, because she took the blame for him?

To scold her for doing so?

To smirk at her, and say it was foolish to cry over a few harsh words from a teacher?

Unfortunately, Ryoma, in a mind of confusion, wrongly chose the third one.

"You know, you don't have to be so upset just because the teacher said something to you in a less nice tone." He said in a bored tone. **_Wait! What are you saying?? Stop! Stop!!_** But the words were tumbling out faster than falling rocks.

"Or is this the first time you were spoken to like that?"

Ryoma looked at her quite disdainfully. He got so carried away, that he had momentarily forgotten who was it to blame that she got told off.

Sakuno froze at those words and the expression on Ryoma's face. Her eyes welled up in more tears. But those were angry tears.

"That's right! Smirk at everything, you jerk! Everything comes to you so easily, isn't it?"

-

She stood up, with her bag in one hand, and the other hand wiping away the tears, but they kept on coming.

"I'm sick and tired of this! Why don't you try and care for someone else's feelings?!!"

Sakuno flung her bag over her shoulder and ran out of the lockers room, tears blinding her. Ryoma stood stock still, her words washing over him.

-

"_Everything comes to you so easily, isn't it?"_

-

-

"_Why don't you try and care for someone else's feelings?!!"_

-

-

Ryoma sank down to his knees. His hands fingered through his hair.

For the first time, the proclaimed ice-cold prince wanted to cry…

((00—00))

Note:

Atashi desu – Me (the "desu" at the end is just a politeness kind of thing.)

A/N How was it??? PLEASE REVIEW XD


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS **

A/N Here's chapter 6… people who review all the time THANK YOU!!! xD Tomoka's in here, lucky her.

((00—00))

"Tadaima…" Ryoma said wearily, as he sat down on the step near the door, and began untying his shoelaces. Nanjiroh came up to him.

"So… how was tennis practice, shounen?" He grinned at Ryoma. "Did you see any kawaii nee-chan?"

Ryoma shot a disgusted look at him, before side-stepping him and leaving for the living room. Nanjiroh frowned slightly.

"Oi, shounen, what's wrong with you? So grumpy."

In fact, yes, Ryoma was feeling grumpy. But then, he was feeling a hundred different emotions along with it. He knew a part of him was ashamed at himself for letting a certain action of emotion nearly overwhelm him.

_Emotionless people can't cry._

That was so very true. However, it was also true that he had hurt a certain someone's feelings, and he felt that he was not going to be forgiven so easily.

…_Who needs to be forgiven??_

**_You know, you just keep hurting and hurting her and you'll end up hurting yourself._**

Deep in thoughts with the various opinions of his two inner selves (A/N that sounds like he's mental or something xD), he didn't notice his oyaji giving him a very weird look.

Shutting himself up in his room, Ryoma lied down onto his bed, messing up his blankets. His bedroom was very messy; various objects such as books, tennis bag, school bag, clothes were all over the place. Just as he was about to close his eyes and fall asleep, his back told him the bed was uneven.

_The bed was uneven…_

Ryoma sat up and looked into his crumpled blanket and found a faded yellow tennis ball with markings on it. Looking more closely, he could identify the words: No.1 Nationals written in very neat kanji.

**Flashback**

Sakuno panted. She flopped down onto the floor.

"…I ….was…too…late…after…all…"

Ryoma stepped behind her. "You came too late. Timing was bad." He sipped his grape ponta.

"R-ryoma-kun!" She stood up immediately, her braids flinging up in the air.

"The plane was delayed." Ryoma said to her. Sakuno said surprisedly, "Oh." She straightened up, so that she was now standing.

"Your hair's too long. You should cut it," said Ryoma bluntly.

Sakuno pouted, blushing slightly. "R-ryoma-kun! The length of my hair has –"

Suddenly there was a loud amount of whooping and whistling over at the senpais' corner. Sakuno blushed harder.

"A-anyway, R-ryoma-kun, I've g-got s-something for y-you."

Fumbling around, she finally took out a clean, new tennis ball. She showed him it.

"No.1…Nationals…" Ryoma read out.

"But it's not about the Nationals. It's about you being number 1 throughout the whole world. I believe you can do it!" She smiled at him.

Ryoma took the ball from her, and said a "Sankyuu", before he turned around and walked away.

"Ryoma-kun, FIGHTO!"

Ryoma didn't look back, but raised the new tennis ball in the air.

**End Flashback**

Ryoma's eyes flickered at the memory of his departure, and the gift from Sakuno that he was now holding. He came back in the same year and since then, studied in Seigaku. But his relationship with her barely reached the line "friend". So why, why was he feeling so guilty?

Why, why was he feeling so confused?

Why, why did he always treat her like second-class?

Why couldn't he be honest with her?

Did that mean he was in denial? _Oh frickin forget it… who cares about her? There's one word that describes her perfectly: Complicated_

"Ryoma-san, dinner's ready! Please come down!"

Closing up his thoughts and the pain (_Was it pain?_) on his face, he got off his bed. His face now emotionless and expressionless, he preceded downstairs.

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After school, he raced out classroom 32A (A/N these classroom thingys are totally random, so please, please bear with me). Horio, Katsuo and Kachiro glanced at each other.

"What's wrong with Ryoma-kun…I wonder," Kachiro said worriedly.

Horio shrugged. "Leave him alone; he prefers to be alone."

Ryoma was running and running when he realized he didn't know where Sakuno's classroom was. _Damn it…_ Just as he was wondering who to consult to, a girl with two short brown ponytails and large eyes bumped into his shoulder.

"Ahh!! Gomenasai!!" The girl practically yelled. Ryoma cringed at her high pitch as the girl picked herself up from the floor, her huge eyes looking into his cat-like hazel ones.. **_Wait…this is Osakada!_ _She's Ryuzaki's best friend isn't she?_**

"…eh…RYOMA-SAMA!!" Tomoka screamed in delight. Ryoma now scowled.

"Keep it down, will you?" He snapped. Tomoka faltered at his expression. Ryoma noticed she still kept her position of President in his fan-club because of the sharp, red, heart-shaped badge pinned on her uniform.

"I've got something to ask you," he promptly said. Tomoka gave him a questioning look.

"What?"

"Do you know where Ryuzaki's classroom is?" Ryoma said this in a very casual tone, just to mask his nervousness.

"Sakuno's? Oh, 31C…Why??"

But Ryoma had already left her after she uttered the words 31C. Tomoka frowned. "Ryoma-sama sure is in a hurry, isn't he?" Muttering to herself, she walked away.

Ryoma ran through two different hallways, before seeing the sign that stuck out in the hallway that read 31C, he quickly slowed his pace so that he appeared to be walking leisurely. He, the tennis prince, does not run around in the school in an undignified way.

Slowly and hesitantly, he slid open the door. As usual it was break, so the students were scattered everywhere. He walked in, and casually looked around. There she was, the ever-present bouncing braids, talking to……

_A boy??_

Ryoma sneaked up behind her.

"- And then, the science teacher was like, "Doushita no, Tokunaga-san? (A/N I got it from Aishiteruze Baby, but do not own, so please don't sue)," Sakuno laughed. Ryoma twitched.

_She was never this carefree around me…_

Then, he tapped her on the shoulder lightly. Sakuno spun around, her braids flying up again. Her eyes widened.

"R-ryoma-kun! What…what are you doing here?" She asked, shocked.

"…Can I talk to you for a sec?" Ryoma asked, desperately shoving away the fact that he was very nervous.

"Okay…" She glanced at her classmate (or was it more than that?). He gave a small reassuring smile.

"In private." Ryoma added. Sighing, Sakuno turned and left the classroom with Ryoma.

_(In the lockers)_

Sakuno stood her hands in front her, fidgeting.

"So…w-what was it y-you wanted to talk to me about?" Sakuno did not look at him. He could tell that she was trying very hard to be strong. It was raining outside, and Ryoma could not remember ever being in such a twisted and uncomfortable situation. He was silent for a few seconds. Then---

"I…" Ryoma couldn't find the words.

Sakuno's eyes were brimming with tears. _Shit….shit…._

Ryoma clenched his fist; he prayed that his mouth wouldn't go shooting off harsh words again. He opened his mouth slowly.

"Gomen."

((00—00))

Note:

Tadaima - I'm home

kawaii nee-chan - cute girls (older)

gomen - sorry

A/N Erm… this chapter is shorter than the previous one anyway, PLEASE REVIEW


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS **

A/N Here's chapter 7... I'm having so much fun writing this fanfic xD. There's a little Ryoma and Ann FRIEND relationship. It's not RyomaxAnn xD.

((00—00))

Sakuno slowly lifted her head up. She couldn't believe this. _Echizen Ryoma_ apologizing?!

"W-what…did y-you say?" Sakuno asked in disbelief. The tears that were rolling down her face a minute ago were now transparent, clear stains that somehow seemed to make her face more authentic, then the usual porcelain one she had.

"…" Ryoma groaned inwardly. _Why did she have to be so damn annoying?_

…_**You didn't mean that**_

He hated repeating things, especially what he had just said.

"Gomen. I…I didn't mean to … say such things to you." Ryoma mumbled. His cap was safely hiding his eyes, which made it hard to decipher what expression he was wearing. Then again, it was too dark in the lockers to see his face anyway. Sakuno gulped. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to let go of all emotion and answer properly.

But her body seemed to completely ignore her.

Her mind was saying, "It's okay, no problem," but her mouth wouldn't open. New, wet, salty, confused tears poured down like rain.

Ryoma didn't know what to say anymore. _Why is she crying? I apologized…_ What was he supposed to do in this situation?

For once, Ryoma chose the right action; he approached her shaking shoulders, and pulled her body in to his chest with one hand, and resting his other hand on her head.

"R-ryoma-k-kun…" Sakuno muttered, and dug her head inner into his chest, feeling the warmth comfort her. Her tight fist clenched onto his shirt.

"…I'm….i-I'm…s-so….c-confused," she whispered in an anguish whisper. Ryoma closed his eyes.

_Confused…eh? … You're not the only one…_

"RYOMA-K-KUN," Sakuno cried more, burying her face into Ryoma's shirt so that it was now completely stained with tears from a fallen maiden.

It hurt Ryoma to see her like this. _**You were the one who hurt her ..**_

Ignoring the obnoxious snide comments from one of his inner selves, he pulled her in closer, feeling their bodies literally mesh together as one.

"Sorry." Ryoma stroked her hair. Sakuno's eyes widened. Then she gripped Ryoma's shirt tighter, as if there was no tomorrow.

Ryoma tipped her head up with his thumb.

Gazing into her large, clear chocolate orbs, and the curling eyelashes at the ends, he dipped his lips down onto hers. Sakuno responded immediately, and her hands fingered through his dark, green hair.

Ryoma bit her lower lip, begging for entrance. A flash of hesitation crossed her face, but it soon passed and before Ryoma knew it, their tongues were releasing a full fight over dominance.

Feeling the need for oxygen, Sakuno pulled away. Ryoma immediately missed the taste of her mouth, and could feel himself craving for more.

"…Ryoma-kun, what do you mean? Why are you doing this?" Sakuno whispered, fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

"…I…" Ryoma started. He clenched his fist. What was he supposed to say, when he was so confused about his feelings for her himself?

"Why?? Why do you make me so weak? Why do I feel so … cautious around you? Why can't I just FORGET YOU???" Sakuno yelled, wrenching herself forcefully out of his arms.

Ryoma's eyes widened.

_Wtf? Why was she shouting all of a sudden?_

"I hate myself for feeling so weak around you!! I hate myself for losing my cool and feeling my heart race when anything has to do with you!! I HATE MYSELF FOR CARING SO MUCH!! WHY MUST I CARE SO MUCH??" Sakuno shouted, her face red and tears flooded her cheeks.

Grabbing her bag, Sakuno ran out of the locker area, leaving Ryoma standing there, stunned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ne, Echizen," Momo grinned. "Let's go eat burgers today." Momo and Eiji liked going back to their old Seigaku to visit their "ochibi". _That explains why they're always here…_

Eiji jumped up and strangled Ryoma. "Yeah yeah, let's go!"

"Itte, Eiji-senpai." Ryoma took Eiji's arms off his neck, and pulling his cap down, he replied, "Sorry, I'm not going."

Momo and Eiji gaped at him.

"Ne, ochibi…you alright?" Eiji questioned.

"Yeah…it's not like you to refuse our usual after school burger meal. Especially when Eiji-senpai's treating." At this, Eiji protested loudly.

"Not like you at all," Momo added, frowning. Ryoma sighed. Heaving his bag in a more comfortable position, he shook his head slightly.

"Its nothing. I've…got some homework to do, that's all."

Eiji grinned mischievously. "You sure you're not going on a secret DATE??"

Ryoma pulled a face. "_No_."

Eiji's grin dropped. "You're boring!" Eiji wailed. Momo chuckled. "Off you go, then, Echizen. Ja ne."

Waving to them, he settled down the road to his house.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryoma yawned and took out the sheet of paper that contained information of the possible players in each position (tennis) for the tryouts. It was only the start of the year, and Ryoma was already having plenty of problems as a captain. _I wonder if buchou (Tezuka) had these kinda problems as well…_

When he finally settled down in his room, he proceeded to finish his homework, even though he was aching for a match with oyaji. He stared out his window.

_**It's still raining. Forget about the stupid match.**_

_Are you supposed to be part of me?? Tennis is the practically my life and you go saying it's stupid??_

_**That's it. You're TOO obsessed with tennis. Can't you see there is someone so important to you, but you yourself hasn't recognized? Who is it? I wonder …T.T**_

_Tch. Now is not the time to be thinking frivolous thoughts about girls. Tennis is the only thing you like and will like and that's final._

…_**You're still in denial. **_

Rubbing his temples, Ryoma sighed heavily and plopped himself onto his bed. He couldn't concentrate with his two inner selves madly contradicting each other inside his head. It was night, he couldn't afford to keep thinking about her; he had homework to do.

He threw a pillow onto his bed, his forehead knitted together. He didn't know what to do. Remembering there was tennis practice tomorrow, he flung onto his bed, stretching his arms out, yawning. Minutes passed… it was twelve and he still couldn't sleep. Sitting up, he grabbed his keys, then he slipped downstairs, changed his slippers to his trainers. Silently he slid the door open, stepping out into the chilly air.

It was raining.

He found he didn't care.

Walking through the rain with his cap on to at least cover his face, he stopped at park near his house and he sat down, dripping in the rain, on the bench.

Ryoma covered his face with his hands. A auburn-haired girl kept popping up in his mind. He didn't know if he was more confused than her or not.

_Judging by her shouting last time, I'd say she's pretty confused herself._

But why? It was obvious that she used to like him when they were first-years. And it was very likely that she still does. But if she still does, then why does she want to forget him?

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him. Ryoma looked up in surprise. He caught sight of brown hair that framed the girl's face. A pink hairclip was used to keep them in place.

"Echizen-kun…" Ann said, shocked at seeing his wet form. She, unlike him, had brought an umbrella. She was, amazingly, still wearing her school uniform. He vaguely wondered what Tachibana Kippei's reaction would be when he heard that his sister had met him, Echizen Ryoma, in a _children's park._

He shook his head inwardly. He was supposed to be thinking what her name was. It was impolite not to address the person's name when they greet you. Especially when they look like they're going to stop and have a nice chat with you.

"…Who are you again?" Ryoma asked. Ann's mouth twitched.

Then she let out a loud snort. It then became peals of laughter.

"I've never seen _the_ Echizen-kun so clueless!!"

Ryoma scowled.

Without an invitation, she sat down next to him, and gazed at him hard.

Actually, Ryoma did remember her, but had forgotten her name. If he wasn't mistaken, she was Fudomine's captain's younger sister.

"Tachibana Ann! Yoroshiku!" Ann said cheerfully. She sent him a quizzical look before saying, "What are you doing here?"(A/N yes, Ann and Ryoma have met before in Ryoma's first-year, but they didn't technically talk to each other, and Ryoma had never used her name, so you could say this is their first official meeting xD)

_Oh, so that was it._ He looked back at the floor.

"…Nothing, really." To avoid any questions, he stood up to leave. Ann quickly grabbed his arm and forcefully sat him down again.

He glared at her. Ann didn't flinch. Instead, she sighed.

"Could it be…you're worrying about….Sakuno-chan?" Ann asked tentatively. Ryoma froze. His arms stiffened.

"It is…isn't it?" Ann pressed further. "Sakuno's really confused…"

"…" Ryoma's throat was dry.

"How could she be?" He croaked.

"…Well…let's say it was pretty obvious that she had a crush on you in your first-year. But you totally ignored her feelings, oblivious to them. Naturally, she was crushed, and tried her hardest to forget you," Ann paused.

Ryoma's face scrunched up slightly. He _did_ know that he had ignored her feelings in his first-year and second-year because he was so caught up in tennis. But the fact that she tried to forget him, and was reduced to her state now made him feel …beyond guilty.

"She wants to be free of you, but she also loves you so much. That's why she confused. She doesn't know what to do…" Ann explained in soft tone. The rain had completely drenched Ryoma by now, and even for him, it was cold.

But his heart felt colder. It felt like winter just invaded the most inner regions of his heart.

Ann patted his back. She got up, and ruffling his head slightly, she said, "Don't stay here too long. You'll catch a cold."

She smiled sadly and said softly, "She was never that strong of a girl."

"That's why she needs you." And with that, she left him sitting on the bench.

Ryoma's eyes had widened, the rain slipping down his face, because he had taken his cap off. It wasn't a while until Ann's words began to sink in:

"_That's why she needs you."_

((00—00))

Note:

Ja ne – see you

Ochibi – kiddo

Itte - ow

Yoroshiku - nice to meet you

A/N HOW WAS IT???? PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!! XDDD


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

A/N Hiiii!! Yay more reviews xD. So happy Shenhui, thanks for reviewing so much xDD and everyone else who reviewed THANK YOU!! Chapter 8, done.

((00—00))

"Ryoma-san!!" Nanako called. "There's tennis practice! Time to wake up!"

Ryoma rolled around on his bed, feeling extremely clammy. His hands were sweaty, in fact, his whole body was sweating, and he felt as though his head was about to explode. He didn't feel like waking up, and thus, ignored Nanako's frequent calling for him from downstairs. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he felt he couldn't breathe.

Eyes snapping open, he saw Nanako's hand pinching his nose.

"Wake up please, Ryoma-san," said Nanako, somewhat sternly. Her hair looked a mess, her clothes were soaked, and for some strange reason, there were bits of soap here and there on her face.

No doubt the reason to Nanako's bizarre appearance was because she probably tried to get Karupin to take a bath. Not a chance, his pet cat _**hated**_ bathing.

A bemused expression on Ryoma's face at the interesting appearance of his cousin, he tried to sit up.

At once his head felt clammy and dizzy. Giving an irritated "tch" he lay back down. Nanako frowned at him and reached out to touch his hand. It was sweating.

"Ryoma-san…" She said, pressing her hand onto his forehead. It was burning hot. "Why didn't you tell me you're sick?! You're burning!!"

-

-

"…I guess you're going to have to stay at home today," Nanako sighed. She squeezed the wet towel to release the excessive water. She placed the towel on his forehead. "What about the play? Is there rehearsal today?"

Ryoma immediately scowled at the mention of the, in his opinion, ridiculous and waste-of-time 'play'. There was no tennis practice, but he practiced everyday by himself with that little machine where it automatically flies out the ball for you to hit it.

Being sick really sucked.

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Ryuzaki Sakuno walked into her classroom, her shoulders heaving. Puffing angrily, she thumped her heavy bag onto her seat, her face red. It looked like she'd woken up from the wrong side of the bed.

"Ne, Sakuno! It's lucky that we're in the same classroom isn't it??" shouted Tomoka in her poor ears. Tomoka enveloped her into a big hug, while Sakuno winced at Tomoka's high-pitched voice.

"…It's lucky you're not with Ryoma-sama too. He'll just break your heart again," Tomoka continued, nodding knowingly. How oblivious she was to the issues that Sakuno and Ryoma had the two previous weeks.

"Hmm…" Sakuno nodded absent-mindly. She was still in a bad mood, to be truthful. Right up in the morning obaa-chan had said her grades were lowering and had clearly said that, if her parents were alive, then they would be severely disappointed in her.

She hated it when obaa-chan mentioned her parents.

Still fuming, she stood up and started towards her first period class. Sitting down, she scanned the classroom carefully. Ryoma was in the same technology class, so he should be here. But his seat was empty.

Sakuno frowned. It wasn't like him to totally skip school…or was it? If he could skip classes, then he could skip school.

She shook her head mentally. Ryoma-kun wasn't that sort of person.

He must be busy somewhere.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The end-of-school bell ringed; Sakuno sprang from her seat thankfully, and without further ado, walked as fast as she could out the school gates. Breathing in the fresh air, she started down the road home.

"Sakuno!"

Sakuno swiveled around. Tomoka was running towards her. Her hair flying, Tomoka pushed various people out of her way.

Trust Tomoka to be so aggressive.

"SAKUNO!!" yelled Tomoka. Skidding to a stop in front of her, Tomoka breathed in deeply before saying, "Did you notice that Ryoma-sama wasn't here today???" Tomoka said this in a very worried tone, while Sakuno just rolled her eyes.

"Yes… I noticed," she said quietly.

"I heard from the teacher that he's sick!! Should we go visit him??" Tomoka exclaimed, her face lighting up like a light bulb. Sakuno sighed. "I don't know. He's sick; we shouldn't bother him."

Before Tomoka could protest, Sakuno added, "And besides, I've got an English test tomorrow. I need to revise."

Tomoka's head drooped down. "Ah well…I need to take care of my cousins today…" Sakuno felt bad. Maybe Tomoka really wanted to visit him. "I'll visit him then."

Tomoka's head jerked up. "Really??!! I wanna come too, but I can't leave my cousins home… what about your revising?"

"I'll still have more time after I get back home I guess, I won't stay there long…you want me to give him something from you?" Sakuno asked, smiling. It was nice to see Tomoka's face all lively again. After all, she was her best friend. It was amazing how one person could affect another person's feelings and emotions so strongly.

Just like her.

When she was pondering this, Tomoka shoved something in front of her face. Sakuno took a step back, focusing on the object.

It was a get-well card.

The card was decorated very prettily, with pictures of him. Tomoka probably got it off Shiba-san, the photographer. Huge words printed out: GET WELL SOON, RYOMA-SAMA!!

Sakuno giggled. There was a picture of Ryoma smirking, and Tomoka had added the speech bubble, 'mada mada dane'. Tomoka obviously spent the whole lunchtime on this. Maybe even during classes.

"Ja, Sakuno, could you help me give this to him?" Tomoka said cheerfully. Sakuno smiled widely.

"Sure."

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_Ding! Dong!_

Nanako opened the door, her dark blue eyes (A/N is it dark blue? Can't remember xD) peering outside. In front of her was a auburn-haired, pig-tailed girl of about 160cm. She was wearing the Seigaku uniform and she looked oddly familiar.

"…Ryu…zaki-chan?" Nanako said tentatively. Sakuno nodded shyly. Nanako broke into a smile, then led her in to the house. "Wait here for awhile please. I'll get tea for you."

Sakuno smiled shyly. When Nanako was gone, she surveyed her surroundings. The house was designed very plain, yet somehow the plainness captured her attention. She liked this kind of design. The walls were a very clear, light yellow.

The table and chairs were all a dark mahogany colour. The mat she sat on was dark green, contrasting beautifully with the floor, a light brown wooden floor.

Various ornaments were put on display. The most was probably the trophies. Sakuno was amazed at the number of trophies the room seemed to hold. Straining her neck, she tried to decipher the printing on the trophies from her seat, but it was impossible because the glittering, golden trophies were at the far end of the room. Sakuno didn't want to stand up and look at it up close, because she thought it might appear rude.

"Here you go, Sakuno-chan."

A steaming, hot cup of tea was placed in front of her. Sakuno sipped the tea lightly, peering at the girl in front of her. Pretty, with dark blue hair, she looked nothing like Ryoma. She wondered vaguely whether they were really related.

"Oh yes… Sakuno-chan, what did you come for?" Nanako asked pleasantly.

"…Oh yeah! …I well…I-I w-wanted…t-to…er…erm….v-visit…um…" Sakuno's face was now tomato red, her fingers twiddling together. God, she was sweating.

"To visit Ryoma-san right?" Nanako chuckled at the young girl's behaviour. "No problem, Ryoma-san is in his room resting. You are his first visitor…even before his old senpais…" She winked at Sakuno.

Sakuno immediately blushed at this. "I-I'll…g-go n-now…" She turned around quickly so Nanako couldn't see her reddening face, and climbed up the stairs to Ryoma's bedroom. Walking tentatively, she stood before a sign on the door of Ryoma's bedroom. She knew instantly it was his, because the sign said:

_**Echizen Ryoma's Bedroom**_

And a cute little chibi picture of his face was next to the carved words. Sakuno noticed the chibi picture looked oddly familiar. It looked like… well nevermind, she was here to visit him, not to find out where he got a chibi picture of himself.

Slipping in, she saw that Ryoma was sleeping. Very peacefully too. She sat down next to his bed, studying his features close up. She was so close she could feel his hot breath on her delicate face. This instantly made her draw back. What was she doing? Advancing on Ryoma like that…

He slept like a baby. His features reminded Sakuno of an angel.

His green bangs looked soft. She reached out with her hand and touched his bangs. His little button nose, soft eyelids, and snoring mouth made her want to laugh. Quite different from his normal cold demeanor… Sakuno pulled the covers up closer to his neck.

She knew no matter what, she still wasn't over him yet. And despite she was very confused (her emotions were all over the place) over the past issues…

Caressing his smooth face, she leaned in, so that his and her face was half an inch apart.

Their bangs touching, she whispered, "I love you."

((00-00))

A/N REVIEW!! REVIEW PLEASE PEOPLE!! Thanks…. I haven't updated for quite awhile, so sorry. Please review – ayane wants to improve her English xDD.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

A/N omg I am so happy. THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!! thanking you guys for eternity Anyway, this is chapter 9. It is kind of mushy… please bear with me. It feels so nice to see new reviews jumps up in joy.

Kikumaru Eiji jumps up in front of the microphone

Eiji: Ne ne!! Why is it there's so little of ME in this story??!!

Ayane: Well… you see, you're…ahem… not exactly…the main character…"

Eiji: WHATT??? I THOUGHT I WAS DA BIGGIE, THE STAR IN THIS STORY!! NYA NYA!!"

Ayane: sigh Never mind Eiji, now lets get on with the story please xD.

((00-00))

Flushing, Sakuno made to draw back, so that no one else would be able to see their compromising position a few seconds ago. She couldn't believe she did something like this. What if Ryoma heard her? If he did, she would never be able to forgive herself. Maybe she'll commit suicide. It just wasn't the time for him to know that she still had feelings for him.

The wall she had been building through those two years was supposed to protect her. And she was _so_ not going to just open them up so that someone else could break her heart again.

Suddenly something caught her wrist.

Looking down, she saw Ryoma's hand clasped tightly over her smooth wrist. Blushing, she tried to pull away.

-

Wait! If it was Ryoma's hand over her wrist, that would mean he's awake! Did he hear her? Fearing the worst, she quickly looked at his face again, and it seemed like he was asleep after all. It was possible that he was dreaming and moving according to his dream. _Maybe_ her mind said sarcastically.

Before she knew it, someone's hands covered her eyes completely. Sakuno gasped. She immediately tried to pry them off, while stuttering, "A-ano… wh-whoever I-it is … c-can you t-take y-your hands off m-my eyes?"

"Yada."

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Sakuno froze. This voice was no doubt… Ryoma-kun. Ryoma would be the only one who would say such a childish phrase, using the simplest words. Feeling her face heat up like an oven, she was now desperately trying to pry his hands off her face, as if his hands were the cause to her heating up.

-

"What… are you doing here, Ryuzaki?" Ryoma said tiredly, scratching his hair, making it even messier than before. Sakuno was sitting on his bed, her hands clasped tightly together, so tight her knuckles were white.

Ryoma smirked at this.

The poor girl was nervous to the point of breaking. Ryoma decided to tease her a little. He leaned closer to her so that his lips were brushing her tendrils of soft auburn hair ever so slightly.

"Ne… Ryuzaki… can you teach me how to French kiss?"

Sakuno's eyes widened.

Her cheeks were tomato red when it came to the word French kiss. Then she pouted, even though there was still a hint of red on her face. She tried to appear angry.

"R-ryoma-kun! I came to visit you," Sakuno began, puffing angrily. Ryoma leaned closer and planted a butterfly kiss on her ear.

It was so light and chaste that Sakuno couldn't interpret what had happened. Then she got pissed. Sakuno couldn't understand why the hell was Ryoma acting this way. All she knew was, she didn't like it. He was always toying with her feelings, as though it was of no importance. Well, she'd show him.

"Look, _Echizen-san_… I DON'T FRICKIN' WANT TO TEACH YOU HOW TO FRENCH KISS OR ANYTHING AT ALL!! WHO'D WANT TO FRENCH KISS YOU ANYWAY??!" Sakuno burst out, flinging her wrist out of his grasp.

Silence.

Ryoma gaped at her, flabbergasted at her outburst.

"Ano… is there something wrong?" Ryoma and Sakuno's heads swiveled around. Nanako was standing there at Ryoma's bedroom door. She was holding a tray with chocolate cookies, a jug of milk, two cups and a pile of tissues.

Behind her was…

-

"Ne, shounen… you should have told me you wanted to learn French kissing! MY BOY'S GROWN SO MUCH!! I'M SO HAPPY I COULD JUST SHIT!!" Nanjiroh snatched a tissue from the pile on the tray Nanako was holding and began sniffing in it.

Sakuno's whole face went an extreme red.

Ryoma looked furious. "THEN GO AHEAD AND SHIT! SEE IF I CARE!" Nanako's face crinkled up in shock. Sakuno jumped, and started backing away from Ryoma.

Grabbing his hat from the top of his dress table, he covered himself before the people around him, especially his stupid oyaji, could say anything else. Pushing past his father and cousin, he descended the stairs to the living room.

Sakuno instantly went after him.

Meanwhile, Nanako was shaking her head at Nanjiroh. "Ah, ah… this is all your fault. So Ryoma-san's finally cracked eh…"

Nanjiroh pouted. "I didn't do anything!"

-

Ryoma slammed a cup down on the kitchen table, and drank forcefully his cup of milk, still fuming. He heard footsteps. He knew who it was.

"What do you want… Ryuzaki."

Sakuno twiddled her thumbs, sweating. "I-I…u-um… just w-wanted…t-to say…"

Ryoma's back was facing her. She felt pressured. Clenching her fists together, she said, "Gomen!" With that, she ran up towards him, and gave him a tight hug from behind.

Ryoma's free hand trembled. His mouth was slightly open. Sakuno took in his sweet smell, and nuzzled into his back. Ryoma's face heated up. _Damn it… don't do that. You'll make me lose control…_

"I…I'm sorry for shouting…and causing you to be embarrassed in front of your family…" Sakuno apologized, while Ryoma was feeling strange tingles in his spine. Instinctively, he turned around and wrapped his arms around her, as she, amazingly, snuggled her heard into his chest. Feeling her soft, small body on his was too much.

He pressed her against the kitchen wall forcefully, crashing his lips onto hers. Feeling those strawberries made Ryoma want to smirk. Her lips were so soft. He gently nibbled at her bottom lip, willing her to open up. She gasped at his actions. His right hand was pulling her closer to him, while the other hand stroked her stomach. He took this opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth.

He slowly explored her mouth, breathing in her strawberry smell.

_You're pretty impatient… what if oyaji sees you now? Its gonna be- _

_**Shut up, you. I'm having a good time and so is she.**_

Sakuno's hands were on his back, her nails digging in slightly, as their tongues crashed together, and began fighting like snakes. Finally, Ryoma pulled away, and looked at her beautiful chocolate orbs.

Her pink tainted lips looked bruised from his kiss. Then he swiped down and kissed her again, this time more gently. Sakuno took control, and she even went to the point of throwing off his troublesome hat, and stringing her fingers through his dark-green hair.

Breathing hard, they stopped. Sakuno smiled slightly at him, a gentle one. Ryoma decided at once that he liked that smile.

"Ryoma-san?? Ryuzaki-chan?? Are you guys okay?"

Nanako's voice echoed into the kitchen. Ryoma and Sakuno pulled away, somewhat reluctantly. Nanako entered the kitchen, looking confusedly at the two, who were now standing apart from each other, gazing at each other's eyes, as if breaking eye contact would kill them.

Nanako chuckled lightly. "What is this… lovebirds' nest?"

This time, both Ryoma and Sakuno blushed.

Nanako looked as though she just saw monkeys drinking beer. Her cold, nearly emotionless cousin actually _blushed_. Seriously, the world was turning upside down.

"A-ano… it's-it's n-not l-like that…ermm…" Sakuno stuttered frantically. Ryoma sighed. He grabbed Sakuno's hand and pulled her out of the kitchen.

Once they were in the living room, Ryoma let out a sigh of relief and sat down on the couch. Sakuno sat on the couch next to him, and crossed her creamy legs. Ryoma tried hard not to look at them. He concentrated on something else, which was deciding how he was going to thank Sakuno for coming to visit him.

"…Thanks for…coming to visit me… Ryuzaki," Ryoma finally muttered. Sakuno giggled at the uncomfortable expression he held when he said this. Ryoma glared at her. She giggled more.

"Stop it. Or I'll make you regret it." Ryoma warned.

This did not intimidate her. She continued to giggle, then letting out peals of laughter. Ryoma glared at her harder. She stopped.

"I think I'll punish you anyway." Smirking, Ryoma leaned toward her, and began to tickle her sides. Once again, Sakuno let out laughter, and this time, much more. Tears of mirth were rolling down her face, as Ryoma continued to torture her.

"OK OK!! STOP STOP!!" Sakuno laughed, panting at the same time. Ryoma drew back, and looked at her fully; from her toes to her the top of her head.

Sakuno looked questioningly at him. Ryoma trapped her wrists onto the couch, then looked down so that his dark-green hair was covering his eyes.

"I love you too."

And, before Sakuno could respond, he covered her lips with his.

Sakuno smiled inwardly, as she closed her eyes to enjoy the kiss.

-

-

At that time, he _was_ awake… and she wasn't bothered about it either.

((00-00))

A/N HOW WAS IT?? Please, please, review. Sorry if this story's taking so slow. I dunno, do you guys want it to go faster??


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS XD 

A/N Yo! Thankxxxx for reviewing I love all of you!! XD I wanna give out cookies For those of you who hate flashbacks, I'm sorry, please bare with me xD. Ryoma & Sakuno FOREVER XDDDD all RyoSaku fans go "WHOO"

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The sun had set.

It was dark already, except for one sole light shining out of a bedroom window, contrasting to the rest of the windows in that particular house. This was the third time he'd left homework late. He had to finish the math homework. It wasn't even a choice to pretend he'd forgotten his books, or he lost the sheet for it, the usual pathetic excuses he made to avoid detention – Fujisawa-sensei could barely pass up this chance to give him a one-way ticket to the detention room.

Somehow Ryoma found it much harder to concentrate – his mind was spinning of events that happened yesterday. He hadn't realized it had taken so much effect on him. Maybe he _was_ going insane. Actually he had been insane for a quite a while. _Urghh_.

-

-

Flashback 

Ryoma pulled apart, looking into Sakuno's large brown eyes. His expression softened, before planting a tiny little peck on her lips. Then he stood up and made to leave the living room. Sakuno quickly grabbed his wrist, her face still ultimately red.

Ryoma didn't turn around; he only said, "It's time you go back home…your obaa-chan's gonna be worried…" Sakuno's head fell, her bangs covering her eyes.

"… … Ryoma-kun…you know… I really was mad at you at first. You seemed to know what was going on in your life, and no one was having any really particular effect on you. But you, so carefree and cold at the same time, can actually effect me so much made me really angry…I wanted to be like you."

Ryoma knew what she was talking about. Tennis. But where was she heading?

Sakuno raised her head and gave him a big smile. "I want to be like you!"

Ryoma looked shocked for a moment. Then he wrapped his arms tightly around her, whispering, "You're fine as who you are."

After a while, Ryoma let go of her, and looked at his watch. "Ne, Ryuzaki, isn't it time you go home? It's 6:00 already." Sakuno jolted back to reality, her eyes widening. Ryoma sighed. How many times was he going to have to remind her?

"Oh my god!!! I forgot!! English test tomorrow!! WHAT AM I GONNA DO??? AHHHHH!!" Sakuno ran hysterically around the room, clutching her head with her hands. Ryoma's eyebrow twitched. _…This is a side of her you haven't seen._

Ryoma never worried about English tests. English was basically one of his best subjects in school, owing to the fact of several years living in America. Staring bluntly at panic-stricken, frantic little Sakuno made him want to laugh.

"English test…you say?" Ryoma repeated blankly. He stuck his hands in his pockets, and quickly pulled on his hat. Sakuno stopped, staring at him.

"…I…could help you," he muttered quickly.

Sakuno, for once, let out all her emotions and grabbed him right there in the middle of the room, forcing both of them to fall heavily onto the couch. Pulling her face up to face him, she smiled widely before saying, "Arigatou, Ryoma-kun!"

Ryoma's face heated up, and this time, he found it much more difficult to resist.

End Flashback

Ryoma preferred not to think about the disastrous English lesson yesterday. Both of them couldn't concentrate, whether it was the one teaching, or the one learning; their heads simply felt like clumps of cotton wool. It was all Ryoma could do from grabbing her face right there and kissing her again.

Yet, thanks to him, Sakuno got a not-so-bad mark. Even though she herself said it was a terrible mark, he always thought she had very low self-esteem; 85 was good enough for him, at least. Or maybe someone else was pushing her.

_**Come to think of it…you don't know a lot about her background do you… does she only have one family member, her grandmother?**_

_Why the hell are you asking me?_

Sighing, Ryoma closed his math book and switched off the light. Diving onto his bed, and under his smooth violet covet made him feel extra cozy. Not to mention Karupin was there also. But it bugged him that Sakuno didn't tell him anything about herself.

Girls are so annoying.

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"Ryoma, I'm taking you to school today! Don't forget your jumper!"

The loud, obnoxious voice of Nanjiroh drifted up the stairs and into the steaming bathroom. It was true that mornings were crisp and quite cold, meaning Ryoma had to wear more clothes than necessary. Plus this cold weather wasn't really helping his tennis playing. Of course, it certainly didn't stop him from playing like he normally did.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Ryoma walked slowly downstairs, yawning widely. Nanako chuckled and said, "Here you go, Ryoma-san. Your breakfast is ready."

Ryoma could feel his stomach growling already, and made no hesitation to stop himself from somewhat hurrying towards the breakfast table; until he stopped at the sight of what his breakfast was.

He groaned. "Che…western food again??"

Grudgingly he sat down. Staring glumly at the two loaves of bread and two full bottles of milk, he stared hard at Nanako, as if demanding for an explanation.

"Ano…" Nanako smiled exasperatedly at him.

"Oi shounen! Don't complain. You should be down at your knees as gratitude that there is food at all for you." Nanjiroh snorted behind his newspaper.

"Why is it western food AGAIN?" Ryoma grumbled persistently.

"Oba-sama likes western food, Ryoma-san…" Nanako said still smiling.

"Che."

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Ryoma sat on the stool, his head leaning on one elbow, staring bored at the stage from the lighting corner. Sakuno pouted at him.

"Ryoma-kun…you have to help too," Sakuno said softly.

Ryoma turned away, his face forming a scowl. Sakuno sighed. The play, the real thing, was on Thursday, and parents, students, practically everyone was going to be there. If Ryoma didn't have a clue what to do, it would be the end for the play. And her hopes. And everything.

Suddenly Sakuno had an idea. She didn't think she could of thought of something like this, but it worked, it would be like a dream come true. Flicking her pencil, Sakuno bit her lip and began thinking. What was Ryoma's greatest weak point? It was foul play and she knew it, but not only was Ryoma's reputation at stake, it also largely contributed to the school's reputation. Other schools would be watching this too.

"…Oi Ryuzaki."

Sakuno snapped. "Ehh? W-what??"

"…It's your turn."

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"Ryoma-sama's weak point?? What, in tennis?" Tomoka asked, a quizzical expression on her face.

"N-no…I meant…like…something he's afraid of or …something like that," Sakuno said, twiddling her fingers together. The first person to pop up in her mind about what was Ryoma's weak point was her best friend, Tomo-chan, but she did doubt that Tomoka knew his weak point. Yet she was the president of his fan club. It didn't make sense, but she was prepared to do all she could to find out Ryoma's weak point.

It wasn't going to be easy though.

After school, Sakuno checked the notice board and it was as if kami-sama was on her side too; there was tennis practice today. She quickly descended down the stairs and ran quickly towards the tennis courts. She had to ask the regulars. Since most of the regulars didn't play in the part of the school she attended to, she had to go further into the school grounds.

Already catching sight of Kikumaru-senpai's unmistakable, unique red hair, Sakuno quickened her footsteps. She had to ask them before they started training, because she couldn't wait till they finished, or obaa-chan was going to be mad.

As Sakuno approached the tennis courts, she heard Eiji's loud, bubbly voice.

"-Momo! That's too mean! I always pay for burgers, its time you treat me at least once!!" Eiji whined, his face puffing up. Momo, who had a bored expression on his face, turned and caught sight of Sakuno. He winked at her, before saying, "Actually, I was thinking someone might join us today, so you'll have to pay extra anyway."

Eiji's face paled. "WHATTT!! WHO WHO WHO???

"…Ano…S-senpai-tachi, can I have a word? Privately?" Sakuno timidly asked. Eiji and Momo looked at each other. Then looked at her again. Shrugging, Momo nodded.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"So basically, you're assuming that we know what Echizen's weak point is?" Momo asked with a mocking frown. Sakuno immediately shook her head violently.

"I-I just wondered if you would know, because you were close with him and everything…." Sakuno trailed off. Eiji grinned widely at her.

"In fact, we do know quite a lot of things about him, but what exactly are you planning to do with that information?" Eiji asked slyly.

At this, Sakuno blushed. "I-it's n-not what y-you think!"

"Well, at any rate, we're completely happy to share our information on our little chibi to you, and despite we're very, VERY curious as to what you're going to do with it, we're going to wait and see," Momo said, grinning, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Remember, Ryuzaki-chan, news travel _**fast**_."

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That night, Sakuno sat against the wall on her bed, talking excitedly to Tomoka on the phone. Twirling her tiny key chain with her name engraved on a round, small metal tennis ball, she could hear Tomoka screaming with delight on the other side.

"Good for you!!! I'm SO proud of you! Omg, just what will Ryoma-sama do then?? Will you really do it on him??"

"I…dunno. We'll see. If he does mess up the play, yes. After all, he tortured me for two years," Sakuno paused, a mischievous glint in her eye now.

"It's payback time."

((00-00))

PLEASE REVIEW!! Thanks for reading – really appreciate it mate xD.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS 

A/N Yay finally 60 reviews and more… I love you all xDD I just can't seem to say enough thank yous… hope you understand xD. Anyways, I just realized I'm so into this fanfic that it's hard to start a new fanfic for soon. Ah well I really, really love all your reviews. Thank you for supporting me so much **sighs in pleasure **xD.

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"Sakuno! Get up! What's wrong with you? It's not like you to wake up so late –" Sakuno's baa-chan, the strict tennis coach stared, horrified at the sight in Sakuno's bedroom. She was having a nice cup of coffee, ready to see her granddaughter descend down the stairs all dressed in uniform and ready to go to school, except today her granddaughter seemed to have slept in.

It was most unusual for Sakuno to do this.

Somewhat rather annoyed from the abrupt stop to Sakuno's perfect habit of waking up by herself, the tennis coach made to her room. And saw a large plastic container right next to the bed Sakuno lay on, and in it was –

"A-a-a-a S-SPIDER!!! WHAT IS IT DOING IN YOUR ROOM SAKUNO???!! GET RID OF IT NOW! SAKUNO!!" Ryuzaki-sensei shrieked, wringing her hands as if trying to put as much distance between herself and the eight-legged creature.

Sakuno slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and looking absent-mindedly at her grandmother. Seeing her grandmother's disgusted look on her face really made her want to laugh. To be truthful, the spider was rather large for a normal one; she _had_ forgotten that her grandmother hated spiders. Literally, obaa-chan hated all insects and "creepy, crawly stuff".

"It's really interesting isn't it? Look at its size! It's cool… you hardly get to see a spider this big, obaa-chan. I'm lucky to have it at all really… what do you think?" Sakuno asked innocently.

"J-just… get it a-away from the house… or from the world whatever!! Just not anywhere close to me!" Ryuzaki-sensei shuddered. Sakuno rolled her eyes.

"It's in the container, it won't hurt you," said Sakuno exasperatedly. "Honestly… I don't see why you made such a big fuss about it; it's just a… living thing. Like a dog or something."

Ryuzaki-sensei snorted. "And I'd be damned if the creature will lick me all over too. Just get on with it young lady! You and I haven't got all day."

Sakuno rolled her eyes.

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"Whoa, Ryuzaki-san! What is that?" Tanuki-sensei, their form teacher asked Sakuno politely. Sakuno had taken the entire container to school, and was somewhat cleaning up her locker and making room for the container at the same time. The sight of her walking down the road to school holding the large container containing a furry wolf spider was quite impressive.

Tanuki-sensei glanced rather nervously at the spider, and managed a small smile, "Well, you certainly seem to be very keen on wildlife and such. You must be very interested in the environment."

Sakuno shook her head. "This isn't for schoolwork. It's for a _special_ extra-curricular project, Tanuki-sensei." Her sensei blinked. With a raised eyebrow, she left Sakuno to herself.

As Sakuno packed up her school things and took out that morning's subject files and books she fell into deep thought about what she was planning to do.

Seriously, Sakuno really couldn't believe that she didn't notice Ryoma's weakness for so long. It should have been so obvious too. This time, Ryoma was not going to get his way with the play. If he wanted to mess it up because of pure selfishness, she was putting her foot down, and to certain measures also.

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After school, Sakuno found Ryoma playing tennis against the wall near the taps at the back of the school. They were going to be late again for the practice of the play if Ryoma didn't hurry up. Ryoma was taking all the time he wanted, and smirked at the constant sound of Sakuno's shoes tapping on the ground.

Sakuno crossed her arms, her face becoming somewhat distorted now with suppressed impatience. She waited for him 30 minutes, waiting for him to finish his nice, long shower, watching him wash his face again, buy a can of Ponta, slowly put away his precious red racquet, wipe his hair dry and finally pick up his tennis bag.

"Ready? _Now_ can we go…" Sakuno said between her gritted teeth. Ryoma smirked at her, amused at her actions.

If he messes with my patience _one more time_… she thought to herself angrily. She was going to use her ultimate strategy.

It was true however, that lately Sakuno was especially not to be tested with her patience because she simply had no time. It was suffocating, having her grandmother breathe down her neck every single damn week, full of the usual blab-blab of 'you should further pursuit your potential to attain your goals' and 'a risk-taker is what you should be', which gave her an immense drop in the stomach every time to the fact that her grandmother didn't believe in her abilities.

-

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"Both of you are late. What happened?" Kumi-sensei frowned disapprovingly. Ryoma shrugged. "We got caught up with something, that's all."

Kumi-sensei twitched at Ryoma's carefree attitude. Sakuno frowned at him. It was his choice to be part of the lighting crew but he was now acting impertinent.

Sakuno knew she didn't know much about Ryoma's life and he could be preoccupied with his 'road of life' (which was already largely contributed to tennis) but that was still no excuse to be so rude. Especially when he was wrong at first.

Ryoma was feeling already very, very annoyed with this play thingy. Why did he even agree to be part of it?

_Well actually…you were the one who wanted to join the lighting crew in the first place…_

He scowled to himself. The last thing he needed now was his inner self berating him about his own behaviour. It wasn't his fault; the brain-dead teachers just decided to choose him as the stupid prince in the first place…or was it Romeo? He couldn't remember. All he could remember was he was chosen as the main male character and there was no way he was going to stand by and let it happen.

These sorts of things were more suitable for ostentatious amateurs like Horio.

"…Echizen-kun, Echizen-kun?" Kumi-sensei said impatiently, waving a hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his thoughts and momentarily blocking his sight. Shaking out of his own little world of arguing with his inner self, he blinked, staring blankly at Kumi-sensei.

"For the last time, Echizen-kun! Please pay attention!" Kumi-sensei said exasperatedly. She was reaching her breaking point, he could tell. Sakuno closed her eyes in defeat.

In the past few days, Ryoma was really, really sweet to her, and she would never have imagined Ryoma to have a side like that. It made her feel so warm that even the little things he did in those days could affect her so well. And it felt good.

But it was too much now. As a girl who loved him and wanted him to change for a 'better person', she was going to have to do something about his little insolent, 10-year old behaviour he was displaying at the moment.

It was impossible for her to stop now. She would have to deliver it as a punishment after the practice for the play.

Ryoma heard Kumi-sensei shout: "Okay minna-san! One more time, run through please!"

He crossed his arms and moved to sit down on the stool, staring skeptically at the stage below. Sakuno quickly turned to him and hissed, "Pay attention and do your part properly! You're supposed to be in charge of this scene's lighting – I have the notes here, do you want to have a look –"

Sakuno cut off, realizing that she was talking to thin air. Spinning around, she found Ryoma was standing behind her and already tending to the lights. Sakuno gritted teeth. She really was going to explode soon if he continued to act like this.

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The rehearsal finished long last, and Ryoma and Sakuno let out a big sigh of relief. Kumi-sensei did work them hard. Sakuno grabbed Ryoma's arm and trying to put on a stern face to mask her excitement in seeing Ryoma's reaction to her plan. It was going to interesting indeed.

"Ryoma-kun," Sakuno began, and for quite many times now, she did not stutter when talking to him. "I was thinking of showing you something. But before that, I want you to come with me for a sling in Starbucks first."

Ryoma stared at her. Since when did his little, shy, pushover girlfriend (well not exactly officially) became this pushy? It so very wasn't like Sakuno indeed. But maybe his little flower had changed for the better. Little did he know, it was about time he 'change' for the better too.

Sakuno grinned mischievously and without further ado, grabbed his arm. "No time like present. Let's go!"

She pulled forward, but stopped, because Ryoma wasn't moving. Sakuno sighed. She put her hands on her hips.

"What is it?"

Ryoma goggled at her, as if wondering it was really Sakuno, and not one of those too-realistic-but-so-damn-impossible illusions in front of him. Was this really Sakuno? Could this really be his tiny, petite, somewhat pitiful little girl?

"Ne Ryuzaki…is that really you?" Ryoma asked uncertainly. Sakuno giggled. "Yes it's me baka and we have to go."

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Ryoma sat with his head on his right hand, the other hand holding a warm mug of expensive coffee and a plate of two sandwiches. He sipped the luscious brown liquid, feeling it slide down his throat and warm up his nerves.

He didn't know what he was being so nervous about. It was just a little sling. A little drop in. A casual drink with …well it was hard to tell what Sakuno was to him now. Yes she was extremely important to him, but what was more concerning was whether she was a very, very close friend, or a precisely, one hundred percent girlfriend.

"Ryoma-kun…I was thinking that you're kind of being to …mean about the play," Sakuno began, now twiddling her fingers nervously. "I mean, you were the one who wanted to be in the lighting crew, so isn't it right that you should…put a _bit_ more effort into it? You see the whole school _and_ other schools all around Japan are going to come and watch it and I really, really don't think our school should be let down because of your 10-year-old insolence…."

Ryoma stared at her, his mouth wide open. _10-year-old insolence?? _

His Sakuno…his sweet and shy and…can't talk back little girl! What was wrong with the world?!

"I m-mean… if you think you can just get away with that sort of attitude and make the whole school look bad and everything, I-I just don't think I can stand by and let it all happen, you know? And I think you should like… watch your own behaviour… and stop being such a royal jerk…."

He blinked. He wished he had his hat on now, because the things Sakuno were saying were not only the black, stinging truth, but also the fact that there was a note of disappointment in Sakuno's voice.

He had to agree that he went over the fire a bit. But he would rather jump off a building than admit it to her. There was nothing Sakuno could do to make him change, nothing at all, unless she tried sexual approaches to him and started acting like a slut. Which was not ever going to happen.

His little Sakuno was too innocent to do such things. Or do anything.

He could bet it was all just talk.

And how sad it was for Ryoma when he would realize that it was _not_ just all talk.

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"You said you'd show me something," Ryoma said in a bored tone, stringing through his silky, dark green hair. They were at Sakuno's locker, and Ryoma was tired from the lecture that Sakuno gave him already. He wanted to get home and settle his score with oyaji.

Sakuno grinned to herself, and began unlocking her lock with her locker key. Turning the little knob, she opened her locker slowly. "Well… yes I did say I'd show you something. And… please don't forget what I said back there in Starbucks. If you can't take it… then it's too bad, Ryoma-kun."

Ryoma sweat-dropped. What was she up to now?

"If you try and mess up the play, I'll have _this_ to take care of you…"

And with that, Sakuno heaved the heavy, large transparent container out from her locker. It was so big it took up most of her locker space.

"…"

"…"

Ryoma stared. He stared. Hard.

-

-

Sakuno thrust the container in to his face, her face splitting in an impish grin. "Isn't it just _beautiful_?"

Of course, she was referring to the huge, furry spider in the container, and was now inches from poor, starting-to-turn-blue Ryoma's face. If it weren't for the glass that separated the creature from his face he would have let out a shocking scream and tailed for it.

Instead, he stood there, his eyes wide in fright and his whole face was full of sweat. He had frozen (A/N not literally, please people xD). Sakuno shook the container slightly, and the spider turned its head to face Ryoma, its antennae wiggling slightly. The fur on its body shook as it moved its what seemed like countless legs to Ryoma.

Ryoma couldn't stand it anymore.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" He let out an earsplitting scream and ran for it.

Sakuno twitched, sweat-dropping, still holding the container."Maybe I overdid it…?"

((00-00))

A/N Ahhh finally finished. I been trying and trying to update and sneak on the computer but it's been so difficult. I guess it's pretty much obvious what Ryoma's weakness is… but maybe I did make Sakuno rather evil here. I'm sorry if I made her so OOC but I thought she should have developed some character in those past two years – please bear with me .


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS XDD**

A/N Once again, I have to thank all of you guys for supporting so far! It's the longest story I've ever written I think – but then that is like nothing probably compared to many other much more talented writers and it's not like I'm the kind to write a lot and I mean the "super A LOT" kindxD. Anyhow, thank you so much!

((00-00))

"Wait, Ryoma-kun!" she shouted after him. Sakuno had stood there with the container for almost a whole minute. Well, no one could really blame her; who would have thought Ryoma's reaction would be so… unpredictable? It wasn't like him yes, but the fact that what the senpais told Sakuno was actually the _truth_ was undoubtedly surprising.

She put down the container hurriedly and started running.

Maybe she did went over the fire, but she felt it was worth it, and no one was going to deny that she had _some_ backbone now, instead of the shy, clumsy and ditzy klutz Ryuzaki Sakuno she used to be. Maybe then her grandmother would acknowledge her and –

"Oi, Sakuno!" A voice interrupted her thoughts and she nearly banged into whoever it was. Lifting her head up, she saw her best friend Tomoka in front of her, a quizzical expression on her face.

"What are you doing??"

Sakuno had no time to reply, she had to find Ryoma as soon as possible. She wanted to explain things to him, even though she might intend to say sorry. "I-I'm finding Ryoma-kun." Sakuno heaved out, panting.

"I saw him just now! He went into his own classroom… and he looked terrible!! His face was so green and- and he looked like he was gonna puke. Hey Sakuno what'd you think's-"

But Sakuno didn't wait for Tomoka to finish her sentence; she was already running towards the furthest classroom in the corridor. Tomoka stared at her back.

Meanwhile, Ryoma was in his classroom, sitting in his seat, with his hands over his sweating face. Just where did Ryuzaki get the idea to scare him like that? The vivid image of the hairy spider with furry eight legs made his own legs tremble.

_Er… just how did she know you hate insects?_

Ryoma stopped. That was a very good question. How did Ryuzaki know anyway? There was no way anyone else could have known, he made sure this phobia was hidden and stayed hidden within himself, meaning he had never told anyone. So how did Sakuno know?

He scratched his head, now deep in thought. He failed to notice a shadow over him. A small creamy-skinned hand tapped him on the shoulder. Ryoma turned around, his hazel cat eyes landing on the girl he had a special fondness for. He saw her. But he was mad. Who was she to use some sort of strategy to boss him around? Suddenly Ryoma had a sudden urge to push her away. He was angry all right; he didn't like being lectured, nor did he like being threatened, nonetheless by a no backboned and pathetic girl.

_**Did you just say pathetic?? Are you human?! Do you even know what you're saying?? She's just trying to help you! Like any other kind-hearted person! You should accept-**_

Ryoma gritted his teeth. "Shut up and go away…" he muttered to himself.

Sakuno froze.

So Ryoma was mad at her. She squeezed her eyes tightly, then opened them again determinedly. However, her words faltered before they could come out of her mouth and she ended up stuttering again.

"A-ano, Ryoma-kun… are you okay? I-I mean… w-well it's just you see, um I didn't realize it w-would scare you so much…" Sakuno began, pulling at her fingers behind her back. Ryoma's gaze was pretty scary actually. It didn't show anger, but it didn't appear as though he let her go easily. After all, she just crashed his cold demeanor and damaged his swelled up ego. She let out a small forced laugh, trying to smooth the atmosphere and make it more pleasant but Ryoma just stared blankly at her.

Sakuno winced. She hated this. She hadn't bargained for this; she just wanted to teach him a lesson. But it seemed to backfire a little. His blank stare was extremely hard to bare, having absolutely no expression etched on his face made her squirm because it was so very hard to see how he was thinking and what. Was he mad? Super mad? Or feeling as how Sakuno wanted him to feel, guilty over his actions before and start turning for the better? Would he ignore her from now on?

It was so confusing, and that is why, Sakuno hated his blank stares.

It felt like when she was 12, when she didn't really know Ryoma and saw him for the first time, and only knowing that he was superb in tennis.

"Please, Ryoma-kun, do… say something…" Sakuno pleaded softly. Even though Sakuno had matured in many ways, not only her body but parts of her personality had really progressed for the better. But even then, Ryoma's no-expression-stare-you-down gaze was shrinking her confidence back to level zero. All the suppression to stop her anguish for a reaction, just a word to tell her what was on his mind, had disappeared and slowly, one or two tears rolled down her cheeks.

Ryoma's face continued to be blank. Sakuno lowered her gaze, and knew defeat. She straightened up, and with amazing effort, smiled a small smilie through her tears and said, "Well, it seems that you're pretty mad… aren't you Ryoma-kun? I-I-I g-guess I-I'll j-just l-l-leave…"

Sakuno turned around quickly and tried to walk away as fast as she could to avoid making a scene in front of Ryoma's classmates. Except something closed around her wrist.

Something warm.

"R-ryoma-kun…?" Sakuno's mouth was slightly open.

Ryoma stood up and with one arm he pulled her petite body closer to him and covered her mouth with his, taking in her pink, soft lips. The moment his lips touched hers Sakuno and Ryoma seemed to have disappeared into another world and totally ignored their surroundings.

Ryoma moved his mouth around her, wanting more of her. His right hand held the back of her head, the other hand around her waist. Sakuno's cheeks were slightly tainted with pink, with one hand around his neck, the other stringing through his smooth hair. Unlike their first kiss (A/N not counting the cheek on in chapter 1) the one they were sharing now was full of passion and the two seemed like they couldn't get enough of each other. The two were making out right in front of the whole class, who stopped whatever they were doing and stared, mouth opened, with stupefied looks on their faces at the couple who looked unlikely to stop for soon.

However, they had to stop due to lack of oxygen. Ryoma pulled back slightly, but keeping his Sakuno's head near his. He put his forehead against hers, and whispered, "You're so… " He moved closer so that his lips were right next to her right ear.

"Adorable."

Sakuno immediately blushed. Then Ryoma grabbed her wrist and made to the classroom door. On the way out, the students in the classroom had broke out of their shocked expressions and were now shouting out various opinions.

"You should have made it longer!"

"Dude, that was hot!"

"Ryuzaki-san and Echizen huh?"

Ryoma was surprised to see the door already slightly open. Shoving the thought out he pulled Sakuno out of his classroom and the shouting gradually stopped. Ryoma pulled the door close and just as he turned around he bumped right into none other than his good old senpai, Fuji Shusuke.

Sakuno gaped. Her cheeks reddened even more: Had he seen them make out?

Ryoma's eyebrow creased slightly. Fuji smiled at them, an excellent non-verbal greeting indeed.

"What?" Ryoma asked, in a harsher tone than he intended. He always had a feeling that Fuji was always secretly spying on his every action but he thought he was acting paranoid. Now he wasn't so sure. Why would Fuji be standing outside a grade nine classroom and not in his own section of the school, which is the other side? Anyhow it was nowhere near the grade nine units.

"Hmm. You know, you guys should really get a room. It's still rather early for other less matured students than you to be watching your special demonstration on puberty. Nonetheless it's a good addition to my collection." Fuji said slowly and sweetly.

"You know, my _photo gallery_."

Sakuno gasped, her cheeks so red it looked like she put two layers of face powder on. Ryoma snarled. Pushing the now almost smirking Fuji out the way, he pulled Sakuno closer to him and started walking down the corridor, holding Sakuno's petite hand in his.

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They climbed the stairs up to the roof, Ryoma's second favourite place in the whole school. He sat down, making Sakuno also "plomp" onto the cold floor. She glanced at her hand which was still in Ryoma's slightly coarse yet warm one.

"Um… Ryoma-kun? W-why…? A-aren't y-you mad at m-me?"

Ryoma sighed. He leaned backward so that his hands were supporting him, and gazed up at the blue sky. "I was mad," he said bluntly after a few seconds.

Sakuno pouted. Ryoma grinned at her. "But I guess I can forgive you." He squeezed her hand. Sakuno smiled, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"After all, you _are_ my girlfriend."

-

"says Echizen."

Ryoma quickly got up and turned around to see none other than the two who were the most immature when they were once in the Seigaku regular team together. And still are the most immature of their year perhaps. There was no mistaking that red hair.

"AHAHAHAHA!! IMAGINE ECHIZEN SAYING THAT!!" Momo roared, tears of laughter flying out of his eyes. Eiji also had tears in his eyes, flinging his arms around.

Ryoma twitched his eyebrow.

"Ne, Ryuzaki-chan, did it work?" Momo suddenly asked to the rather alarmed-looking Sakuno.

"Did what work?" Ryoma asked bluntly, cutting in.

Sakuno jumped. The image of a spider popped in her mind. "A-a hahaha… w-w-what a-are y-you t-talking about-t?" Momo and Eiji grinned at each other impishly.

"The secret we told you, the bu-"

Sakuno grabbed Momo and quickly covered his mouth with her hand, while letting out another forced laugh at Ryoma, who was twitching. "A-ahhahaha… Momoshiro-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai, isn't it time for you both to go back to the senior school section? I-I-I m-mean you're going to get in trouble if you s-stay here t-too l-long so…"

She pushed both of them out the door of the roof and closed it, breathing out a sigh of relief that the two troublemakers were gone at last.

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Meanwhile Ryoma was not paying attention. His inner selves were once again immersed in their own conversation.

_Impudent. Those two clearly don't match up to their ages._

_**Uh huh, and you weren't acting impudent just like Ryuzaki said you were in Starbucks. You really haven't changed a lot these two years you know T.T**_

_I've changed a lot and your pathetic excuse of eyes probably couldn't see it that's all._

_**Pathetic excuse of eyes?? You insulting your own? Have you forgotten we share the same….er… stuff?**_

_Talk about bad English. You seriously need some more coaching._

_**How dare you! I was just trying to help you dude… and besides I think you really shouldn't mind going with Ryuzaki with dates and holding her hand in public. I mean, what's wrong with it? You acting all secretive and making this relationship a secret, just because it might hurt reputation isn't nice. In fact, you'll hurt her like that .**_

It was true though. Ryoma avoided dates with her, even though she rarely asked to come with her to go somewhere or eat lunch with her, but the fact that the whole school might end up knowing about him and Ryuzaki and that he actually had feelings made him uneasy. His old senpais like Momo and Eiji would be all over them and trying to annoy them and fuss around, while even maybe Tezuka might think he'd gone soft over the years. He was supposed to be a blunt, blank and stoic person. What would happen to the image he tried to create if the whole school managed to find out?

"Ryoma-kun. Ryoma-kun. Ryoma-kun!"

"…Huh? Oh, what?" Ryoma asked, shaking out of his thoughts. He looked up to find Sakuno's worried face in front of him, her big almond eyes gazing at him. "Are you okay?" He nodded numbly. Sakuno sighed and sat down again next to him. Feeling the slight breeze on her, she gathered up courage to cover her hand over his, smiling widely. Ryoma felt pressure on his hand and looked at her.

"Ryoma-kun, I-I know you seem so busy and y-you're still pursuing your dream of surpassing a certain person, but I-I just want to let you know that… I'll support you all the way through – and I'll protect you!"

Ryoma stared wide-eyed at her. She was incredibly sweet and so… fragile. She was glass in the inside and despite that she tried to be metal outside. He smirked at her.

"Ryuzaki, does that mean you want to marry me?"

Sakuno froze, her cheeks reddening, making her face resemble a tomato. "M-m-marry… y-y-you… ???" Both hands were clasped tightly together on her lap, her face heating up even more and she wasn't looking at Ryoma.

Ryoma's smirk grew wider.

"I mean, you said you'd protect me, so I'm guessing you want to start a _family_?"

Sakuno's already large brown eyes grew wider. "F-f-f-fam-mil-ly…??" She stared out at Ryoma before her brain couldn't take it anymore and she flat-out fainted into Ryoma's arms. Ryoma frowned slightly. Then he smirked again, lifting Sakuno up in bridal style and carrying her all the way to the nurse. It was lucky that most people were in the cafeteria or the minute a person saw Ryoma carrying Sakuno as such would cause a up-roar and then, really, the whole school will be chit-chattering about the both of them.

He wonder vaguely how many times Ryuzaki ended up in the nurse's room.

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The door of the nurse room swung open. Ryoma and Sakuno both turned around to see the second-year Daisuke who was also part of the lighting crew for the play. Ryoma stared at the panting second-year.

_**Dude, I'm having private time with my girlfriend!**_

_Since when did she become your girlfriend?_

"Uh…" Daisuke began, staring at the compromising position Ryoma and Sakuno were in. Ryoma was sitting at the edge of the bed, and Sakuno had her head on his lap. How they ended up like that was a mystery. (A/N yerse… sorry readers, I'm not bothered to explain how they ended up like that, you'll have to guess it yourself xD.)

Ryoma quickly pushed Sakuno's head off his lap and got off the edge of the bed, pulling down his cap. He quickly thanked Kami-sama mentally that he'd remembered to get his hat when they left his classroom after their little make-out scene.

"Uh… Ryuzaki-chan, Echizen-san," said Daisuke. "I got a message from Kumi-sensei. She says there's no more time to do one last dress rehearsal and that she's already busy with the actors and the cast and stuff… and er… she said you and Echizen-san are the leaders and you guys have to make sure that the whole lighting crew is ready by next Tuesday."

Sakuno snapped up. "W-what??!!"

"And, and… she said if any of you or the rest of the lighting crew messes up, she, she said that'll go into our reports…"

"That's stupid." Said Ryoma bluntly.

"D-d-demo, we're not ready!!" Sakuno shouted angrily. Ryoma, however sat there silently thinking. She was taking the news a little too harshly. Daisuke started backing away, his hand trembling a little as he said, "W-well… um… I, I'll just leave you guys t-to it okay?" Without waiting for a reply he left the nurse room as quickly as he could. Ryoma smirked at Sakuno. "Now, now look what you did. Scare off your poor kouhai."

Sakuno blushed. She hadn't meant for it happen. It just did. The play was very important to her. Not that she's going to be a actress or something like that; her goal had nothing to do with drama. The fact was her grandmother said she would be expecting good results and that her obaa-chan had been nice enough to say it didn't matter that she wasn't the female lead in the production, but it still placed heavy pressure on her to strive for the best. Nevertheless, Sakuno was glad her parents weren't going to be there since their business trip wasn't finished yet. By the time they came back, it would be the end of the school year.

Sakuno let out a sigh of relief at that thought.

Ryoma sneaked a glance at her. He always wondered why he'd never seen Sakuno's parents; they never came to pick her up, or come with her to after-school activities, or the usual end-of-school events, in fact he was wondering if Sakuno still had parents. Whether they were alive or not, they certainly weren't very much interested in their daughter's progress, and Ryoma wasn't happy. How could her own parents not want to get involved in their only child's (he never heard about siblings) life? It was just plain ridiculous.

He wouldn't say, but his father, despite his goofiness, always managed to catch on and they had a mutual understanding; it was natural. Even with his mother and cousin, they both knew about him and his fanatic with tennis. But Sakuno, she was different case. She may not excel in tennis but Ryoma was sure she was good at something.

"Ano, Ryoma-kun, you don't need to walk me home today," Sakuno began, her cheeks heating up at the thought of her and Ryoma walking side by side.

Ryoma turned his head towards her. "I'll walk you home."

"D-demo, Ryoma-kun…" But Ryoma was already walking towards his classroom. Sakuno gazed at his back, before smiling to herself. "Ryoma-kun's so sweet."

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"Ja, Ryoma-kun, here it is!" Sakuno smiled. "Thank you for walking me home today."

Ryoma looked away. "Betsuni…"

He noticed their hands were still entangled together. Sakuno didn't want to let go, but she knew she had to. "Arigatou…hontouni… arigatou…"

Ryoma pulled her wrist slightly so that her body leaned towards his. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before saying, "You're welcome."

Just as he was about to leave, the door opened before Sakuno even touched the button. Ryuzaki-sensei came out, smiling at Sakuno. At these moments, Sakuno loved her grandmother the most since she always had a smile for her when she came back from school.

Another woman and a man of about mid-forties came out from the house. Ryoma felt Sakuno's hand squeeze his tighter . As he glanced at her, he noticed her eyes were no longer warm. The chocolate brown eyes looked darker and colder.

"Ara, it's Ryoma! What're you doing here?" Ryuzaki-sensei grinned. She loved teasing him about his and Sakuno's relationship. "You wouldn't be walking my granddaughter home would you?"

"Ara… who might be this?" A sweet, sickly voice purred out.

Sakuno was shocked. The woman had her auburn hair tied back, and her eyes were slightly smaller than Sakuno's but were chocolate like her daughter's. However, her eyes held no warmth, nor did it match the sickly smile on Sakuno's blood mother's face.

"Ah… Arina, this is Echizen Ryoma," Ryuzaki-sensei said quickly. "I'm the tennis coach, and he's the captain of the middle school tennis club." She forced a chuckle. Ryoma took off his cap for politeness and said a blunt, "Doumo."

"I see…Echizen Ryoma huh." The man behind Sakuno's mother said, in a rather sceptical tone. Ryoma, however, caught the tone and he narrowed his eyes.

"Sakuno-chan you do know how to choose don't you? Quite a handsome little boy, isn't he?" Ryuzaki Arina purred, once again showing that sickly, hideous smile. Ryoma flinched at the phrase 'little boy'. He wasn't a 'little boy' he was fourteen for god's sake.

"M-mother… w-why are y-you h-here??!" Sakuno stuttered out, her expression alarmed and horrified.

"What _honey_? You don't like us here?" There was a dangerous edge towards the last bit of the sentence.

"N-no…"

"Ahh, Sakuno, your mother and father managed to finish their business trip early and they asked me how you were doing at school so I told them about the school's special event, the production Romeo and Juliet you two were part of," Ryuzaki-sensei said laughing forcefully. The woman, Ryuzaki Arina smiled sadistically at her daughter.

"W-what…?" Sakuno whispered. Ryoma glanced worriedly at her. Her face was terribly white.

"They said they don't mind that your not one of the lead characters and they said they'd like to come along and watch it."

Sakuno froze, her hand and body shaking. "W-what d-did you s-say…??"

((00-00))

Kouhai – Students younger than you (like opposite of senpai if I remember correctly – please correct if wrong)

Betsuni – It's nothing

Hontouni – really

Ara - Look here/ Look at this (I hear mostly women say this xD)

A/N well, that's the end of chapter 12. What's poor Saku going to do?? And how is her parents really like? What sort of relationship do they share? Can Saku stand her ground with the pressure of her parents and the lighting job as one of the leaders in the production? Anyways please REVIEW!!! And thank you for readingxDD REVIEW REVIEW!!!

I've got cookies all readyxD It's such a shame I can't hand out cookies through internet messages xDD lol anyway please review

**Please note****: There has been no information through Prince of Tennis that Sakuno's parents were ever mentioned so please don't sue. I don't own any characters except maybe the parents because they're made up. Thank you.**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

A/N WaaaxD - I love all you guys who review my story and compliment me and I love the people who tell me what they think of my story whether it's positive and negative and that they're not afraid to say it! Thank you so much readers!! You totally give me the motivation to finish off this story - thanks.

**Alert:** For those who might think I overused a little "bad words" here and there, well I don't know what sort of free fan-subbing groups you people watch for PoT but to be truthful, the subs do sometimes tend to initiate that Momo and Kaidoh do swear. They may not say "fuck" but I do remember them saying a lot of times, "bastard" and "shit" so please, if any of you are offended by it, sorry, but that's what the rating "T" is for.

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"EEHHHH?????" Tomoka's horrifying shriek could be heard down the hallway and all the way down the stairs. Sakuno winced slightly, and sighed.

"YOUR PARENTS ARE COMING??? TO SCHOOL? TO WATCH YOU?!!" Tomoka continued, her voice rising higher and higher, unable to keep her disbelief within herself. Sakuno placed her head on her hands. "…yeah…."

"Oh… my God…I can't _believe_ this! What are they _thinking_?? And _you_, Sakuno! What are _you_ thinking of, letting them come? This is like, probably the first time since _years_ they've come to visit you and try to appear interested in your personal life!!: You can't just let –"

"Tomo-chan!! Will you please stop for a moment and give me a little time to think this over? Besides there's really nothing I can do now that they've really decided to come," Sakuno cut over Tomoka's screaming and whining. She wasn't the one who had such horrifying parents. She wasn't the one who's parents were going to take over her social life. She wasn't the one who's mother was so repulsive she could vomit for the rest of her life and still wouldn't be able to amount to her mother's disgusting behaviour. It was like she wasn't human.

In her opinion Tomoka shouldn't be the one screaming and whining. No, it should be _her_. But Sakuno wasn't the type to do that in public. And the only real scream Sakuno could manage was when she was really afraid. Like the last time when her grandmother dragged her to ride an elephant and she was so freaked out she ran straight into a souvenir shop, hid herself in a huge cabinet full of small souvenir stuff toys and refused to unlock it and come out until her grandmother gave up and told her she could stay in the hotel.

Twisting her fingers and staring at her chipped nails from biting them too much last night, Sakuno heaved a sigh and left the classroom, bading Tomoka goodbye. She walked timidly to Ryoma's classroom, wondering if it was the right time to request for his help. He was the only other person very close to her; she felt she wasn't ready to reveal her personal family problems to her normal classmates. However, Ryoma might not be help at all.

Deciding she'd give it go, she knocked and entered the classroom. Her eyes bulged out, her face heating up so badly her mouth letting out a loud "eep".

She just entered into a classroom full of boys changing.

She wanted to _die_.

There wasn't a girl in sight. But Ryoma wasn't inside the classroom either. Not that she deliberately looked; she'd only scanned the tops of the boys' heads so at least that way she'd stay decent. She immediately stepped out and slammed the classroom door close as if touching it would burn her hands, and she covered her face and started to wail softly. This was just another one of her most embarrassing moments of life that to be added to her collection.

The classroom door slid open. Sakuno took her hands off her face. A third-year, with sly eyes and to her horror, topless, walked up to her, smirking widely. "Yo, baby." Sakuno shivered at the revolting nickname. She backed towards the wall, trying to put as much distance between the half-naked boy and her.

"If you want to take off my pants you just have to ask sweetie," the boy drawled, licking his lips as Sakuno felt her body being slowly examined like some sort of new specimen scientists discovered. She felt his eyes resting on her well-developing breasts and she slapped the boy away.

"Yo, yo, yo, no need to be so … violent. I was thinking you would be just right for me…. I love violent, sexy _bitches_ like you." He leaned toward her, and this time Sakuno was too furious at his words rather than paying attention to the fact that his body was approaching and trapping her slowly against the wall.

He whispered in her ear, "You know what? I would l-o-v-e to lick those delicious knockers of yours." Sakuno gritted her teeth. She tried to move her hands to slap him, but found that her arms were held against the wall by his hands. Using one hand to secure both her arms against the wall, he positioned his tongue along her smooth, porcelain, peachy-skinned neck, and his other free hand slowly inching towards her chest.

Sakuno felt tears rising up her eyes as she struggled under his vice-grip, and kicking to no prevail. She shut her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her face as she could actually almost_ feel _his tongue and his hand about to touch her.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING??!!"

The boy turned around. In a split second he fell back and banged onto the floor, holding his cheek, which had now developed a huge black and blue bruise. Clearly Sakuno's saviour had delivered a nice punch to last the bruise on the poor boy's cheek for a week or more.

"M-Momoshiro-senpai!" Sakuno gaped at her saviour. From this distance she just realized how much Momo-senpai was taller than her. A lot. But that wasn't the most important issue to be dealing with. However, as much Sakuno felt relieved that the disgusting molester didn't manage to feel her up, she had sort of hoped her 'knight in armour' had been who she wanted him to be. Nonetheless, now that she came to think of it, Ryoma would never be the type to shout out, however angry he was. The one thing Sakuno loved about Ryoma was how he could easily manage his emotions and not let them overwhelm him in such a way like her emotions did. Sakuno grinned to herself. Yes, it was amazing.

"You fucking bastard!!! Get away from Ryuzaki-chan!" Momo glared at the bruised, now flushed boy. Sakuno stared at Momo, her cheeks still a terrible bright red as she said quickly, "Umm… Momoshiro-senpai…th-thank you…" She couldn't quite get the words around herself yet but they tumbled out anyway.

Momo grinned at her appreciatively. "No problem. Boys like those are just absolute scum, you don' need to pay attention to those," he said, scratching the back of his head absent-mindedly. "Besides, it's better if you pay more attention to the, what'd you call him? The _tennis prince_." He winked her.

Sakuno blushed profusely. "I-I think I need to g-go back to my classroom now, Momoshi-"

"Momo is fine."

"H-Hai, Momo-senpai," She said smiling. "Now I really must go."

Sakuno turned around and was about to leave when she turned back, suddenly as if she had forgotten something very important. It was, actually.

"Anou, senpai, I would a-appreciate if you didn't tell Ryoma-kun what happened today."

Momo looked surprised. "Why not?"

"J-just… don't tell him. Like, if you h-happen to meet him today… please, please don't tell him."

Momo frowned. His eyebrows went up as he said, "But I thought you guys were dating! Echizen should have every right to know what happened." He looked at her rather sternly. "You're actually really lucky I happened to cross by here today. I'm actually rarely around the junior section. You know that." Sakuno tried to say something in response but Momo beat her to it.

"And plus, it wouldn't hurt to see how much he cares for you." Momo grinned slyly at her. Sakuno turned red. "B-but you c-can't!! If you tell him he's going to go and b-beat that guy up so badly…and get in trouble…"

"It's so sweet that you guys think of each other all the time," Momo sighed. "But you also need to look back on today's incident. You're a girl. There are many dangers to being a girl. You need to learn how to expect these things and try to protect yourself."

Sakuno fell silent. It was true. "… Yeah."

"See ya, gotta go." Momo waved at her. Sakuno stared at his back, his words repeating in her head. Momo was really considerate. He was cool and he understood. True, he often got into a lot of mischief with Kikumaru-senpai, but inside he was as warm as cup of just poured hot chocolate. She'd never imagined Momo to be the type to give a few words of _wisdom_. People really could change miraculously in a few years.

Smiling to herself, she pushed all her worries and troubles she had last night; her homework (it was actually in the minority, that one), the play on Tuesday, and lastly, the worrying fact that her parents were coming to watch her school's production. Sure, she hadn't seen Ryoma even once today, but she knew better than to be depressed. After all, tomorrow she'd see him for sure.

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"Ryuzaki."

The minute the school bell had rung, students poured out of the school like ants, rushing to whatever activity they planned afterwards. It was a lovely Friday evening. The sky looked like a painting fresh from the art museum; swishes of bright purple, violet, and orange skirting across the bottom, merely brushing the mountains by a millimeter. The upper part of the sky looked a little like dark blue faded trousers Ryoma sometimes wore instead of his school trousers (the teachers never noticed because they were the same colour), except there were less creases. Ryoma smiled inwardly as he watched Sakuno, with her ever flying pigtails, running towards him, stumbling a bit when she reached him.

He was glad he didn't need to shout; Sakuno could hear his monotone voice all the way from the school gates to the little tennis shed, known also as the boys changing room.

"… You're quick…" Sakuno panted, her chocolate round orbs gazing in the depths of his hazel eyes. She smiled widely. "And I thought you'd go home as quick as you can to … what was it? End the score with Oji-san!" Ryoma sweat-dropped. She knew him too well now.

"Che… nothing like that." He pouted ever so slightly, but Sakuno saw it. She laughed.

It sounded very much like chinking bells to Ryoma's ears. She always seemed to emit such energy, partly because of her clumsiness.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Ryoma asked, staring at her quizzically.

"What did you call me here for? You wanna walk me home, you mean?" Sakuno asked a little impishly.

"…Che…"

Sakuno took that as a 'yes' and, feeling braver than usual, linked her arm with his, and when he turned to look at her questionably about linked arms in public, she smiled a toothy smile at him. Ryoma sighed and gave in.

As they walked out the school gates, Sakuno was indeed having second thoughts about linking her arm with his. It was attracting quite a lot of stares from passer-bys. Thinking quickly, she thought maybe Ryoma didn't like her linking arms with him too much and was about to try and unlink it without Ryoma noticing, but before she could even actually move her arm, Ryoma tightened, so that her arm couldn't move if she tried.

Without looking at her he said, smirking, "Don't even think about that."

Sakuno blushed and smiled to herself. Ryoma really was very, very sweet at times. But the real reason Sakuno was touched was that Ryoma didn't mind showing affection in public that much anymore.

They walked side by side silently. It was comfortable just being next to each other. It was then that Ryoma was suddenly reminded of something. His face turned serious. His mouth became a grim line.

"Ryuzaki."

Still in her calm posture, Sakuno turned to look at Ryoma. "What?"

"Something happened to you today right? Momo-senpai told me." Ryoma's eyes pierced into hers, as if trying to force the truth out with his eyes. Sakuno gulped. This could be messy. Didn't she _tell_ Momo not to tell Ryoma? Then she remembered Momo hadn't actually said yes to her request.

"N-n-no…w-why would M-momo-senpai s-say something like that…?" Sakuno tried to reason, hoping Ryoma would believe her. Except Ryoma wasn't so naïve. Neither was he stupid; he could tell when something was up with Sakuno and he wasn't about to let her go home till she told him what really happened.

"Well… umm… it was really nothing…" Sakuno said nervously. Ryoma grabbed her shoulders. She gasped. He stared straight at her. "It was a boy right? He tried to rape you right? In our classroom at lunch recess?" Ryoma's voice began to rise higher.

Sakuno raised her eyes to stare into his, and realized then, just how much Ryoma cared for her. Concern was etched in every corner of his hazel eyes. Sakuno looked down, ashamed that she had thought Ryoma wouldn't really care. Slowly she let it all out. The incident, worry about the play, and finally, even her anguish about her parents coming to watch her.

Ryoma watched her and listened in silence. By the time she had let it all out, tears were brimming in her eyes. She couldn't help it. Tomoka wasn't exactly comforting; she was more of a very loyal best friend who stuck up for her when she was lost with words. Ryoma so badly wanted to march right now back to school and see if the fucking bastard was still in school and beat the crap out of him. He wanted so badly to go to Sakuno's house and totally give her parents a piece of his mind.

He wanted to protect her; from people who tried to hurt her, who didn't understand her. They know nothing about her and still try to hurt her, and Ryoma _hated_ people like that. But then, dealing with a crying Sakuno should really come first, his conscience piped up.

Sakuno couldn't bear to look at Ryoma's eyes. "I-I… I'm pa-pathetic… aren't I-I?" She tried wiping the tears flowing down her cheeks. She knew Ryoma hated crying girls and disliked people who couldn't collect themselves and fight their problems.

Just as Sakuno thought she ought to say goodbye now and go home the rest of the way herself, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a warm, wide chest.

-

Ryoma.

-

Sakuno nuzzled deeper into Ryoma's chest, absorbing the heat radiating from Ryoma. She felt secure, safe, in his arms, and it felt like those sort of movies where the two main characters were stranded on an island and had nothing but each other and that they held onto each other till the very end. She whispered, "…Arigatou, Ryoma-kun…"

Ryoma stroked her auburn hair. It was his way of saying 'you're welcome' and comforting her at the same time.This smoothing gesture mad feel Sakuno feel so warm, she felt herself unconsciously lifting her tear-stained face up, and slowly closing her eyes as she moved in.

Reaching in, she moved in and placed her soft lips onto Ryoma's slightly chapped ones.

Ryoma was caught by surprise. But not for long; he quickly moved in to respond to her kiss, and further deepening it. His lips moved around for a bit, then bit her bottom lip for entrance. Sakuno replied immediately. His tongue slipped in, roaming around, slowly collecting every single inch of her taste, her moisture, her texture; the lovely, intoxicating, slightly spicy smell with a tint of strawberry. Sakuno caught his tongue with hers.

Slowly, the tongues got to know each other after a long time of disappearance (A/N they hadn't kissed as long as this since the last time in Ryoma's house's kitchen xD). Ryoma finally pulled away, panting slightly. Sakuno gazed at him, her cheeks red but her expression …happy.

Ryoma felt his heart melt at the beautiful expression etched on her smooth face.

Sakuno looked at him innocently. "What's wrong?"

Ryoma smirked.

"Nothing." He leaned in for another kiss.

It looked like oyaji will have to wait. Ah well, it wasn't really a loss. He'd probably just ask him to read dirty magazines with him or something just as disgusting.

Besides, Ryuzaki's a hundred more times interesting than the girls in those dirty magazines ever will be.

((00-00))

A/N Heyyyy!!!!! It's the end of chapter 13, in case any of you haven't noticed… JUST KIDDING!! XDD Sakuno's parents' problem will come up **almost** for sure next chapter, so stay tuned!!! Oh and, it might be OOC for Momo to say something like that to Sakuno if he was still the obnoxious 13 year old he is in the PoT storyline… but please don't forget that all of them are two years older now.

I'd think even Momo would have achieved some stage of 'maturity'…?? XD

Anyways, PLEASE REVIEW!! I absolutely LOVE IT when readers review!! PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO REVIEW and I THANK EVERYONE who has ever reviewed and is still keeping contact with my story updates!!

love you all ;)


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

A/N Yayyyy, 100 reviews at last!! Thanks to every single person who read my story I'll love you even more if you review xD. I love all your reviews and even though I can't reply each and every one of them, I still want to let you know that I totally grateful you guys stuck to my story through these 14 chapters and it was you guys who gave me the motivation to come as far.

Little bits of what Sakuno was doing during those two years before this story's chapter one.

((00-00))

"Tadaima."

The Echizen household door opened and closed, signaling Ryoma's arrival from whatever he was up to early on Saturday morning. Then again, it was most likely tennis. Nanako stuck her head out to greet Ryoma. Ryoma walked past the living room, glancing briefly inside to see his lecherous old man reading the newspaper. He stopped and stared.

"…Oyaji…you're…_reading_ the …_newspaper_…?!!"

Nanjiroh looked up. "Oh Ryoma! You came back. Where'd you go?"

But Ryoma had long forgotten his father was there. He was concentrating on how on earth his oyaji could be reading the newspaper and not hanging out in that little temple reading dirty magazines instead and with one foot stringed to the bell. Maybe his oyaji had finally learned something. Maybe he turned over a new leaf.

Following his oyaji's angle in the newspaper, his eyes turned from curiosity to disgust. Inside the newspaper was actually his normal weekly dirty magazine, hidden because its size was smaller than the newspaper.

"Oyaji… and I thought you were finally maturing…" Ryoma shook his head and smirked at his dad. "Mom won't be pleased. Wonder what she'll do with them?" Ryoma mocked, cocking his head to one side. Nanjiroh shuddered, his forehead sweat-dropping. He threw into a frantic fit and started shouting frantically after Ryoma, because Ryoma was already going up the stairs.

"PLEASE NO!!! DON'T TELL YOUR MOTHER!!! Com'on now shounen, don't be so stingy, now stay here and promise you're not going to–"

Ryoma rolled his eyes. Slamming his bedroom door close, he sat on his bed, leaning against the wall. Suddenly his eyes caught sight of a photo. He thought he'd organized all his photos into photo albums. So why was this one on his bed? Puzzled, he picked up the photo and looked closer. Immediately his cheeks flushed slight red.

The picture was on the day after the last match of him with Shinji from Fudomine; the match with the eye injury. But it wasn't the tennis grounds or anything like that. It was in a sushi shop. The picture looked kind of like it was an accident it turned out the way it was.

After all, a twelve year old Ryuzaki was leaning against him looking like she wasn't supposed to be in the picture but she was being forced to. Then again, she looked like she kind of enjoyed it too. He himself wasn't looking at the camera but focused on the young girl beside him, his face full of puzzlement. Ryoma could tell the person who 'accidentally' pushed Sakuno was probably Momo, judging from the spiky hair. There was red hair too so it must have been Eiji as well.

Ryoma grinned slightly. No doubt it was Momo and Eiji fighting over some sort of sushi and pushed Sakuno just as someone took the picture.

Despite the photo seemed like it was an accident, Ryoma felt it was a nice accident. "Hn." He said to himself.

He wouldn't mind repeating it.

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Ryuzaki Sakuno sat in her room, staring out the window, dazing out. She desperately wanted to get out of the house quickly and escape this tense atmosphere that settled in her house whenever her parents came. It was like living as a criminal; her parents watched her every move, as if trying to catch her red-handed doing something wrong. Now she was so paranoid she couldn't even relax in front of Tomoka at school anymore. She felt so trapped.

Everything would be much better if her parents would just leave and go back to their business trips. It was tiring to pretend to be the ultimate good, stay-out-of-trouble girl that clearly she wasn't. Well, at least not exactly. What she needed was personal space and freedom right now. In fact, she wouldn't put pass the fact that maybe her mother had put a video camera hidden in her bedroom right now to make sure she wasn't doing anything suspicious.

Her grandmother was much, much looser than them, and at least trusted Sakuno more than they did. But still, she didn't really believe in Sakuno's abilities either, and it hurt her. None of her family understood her, or stood up for her when she was in a spot of trouble and she was left to sort out the problem herself. This was how Sakuno had gotten stronger mentally and physically through those two years.

Right now, she was happy. That Ryoma was there, for her, with her, cared for her and… trusted her.

_Knock Knock._ Sakuno nearly jumped out of her skin. Quickly collecting her thoughts so she could concentrate on dealing with whoever was at her door, and she could bet it was her mother. But Sakuno could hear voices. And it wasn't her mother alone.

Sakuno braced herself for the worst as she opened the bedroom door slowly. She had to refrain herself from gasping.

Her mother had brought someone else with her. This guy was incredibly cute; his hair black in a sort of ruffle, messy state, and a slight fringe in the middle. His eyes were black and dark green. His expression was kind and as he looked at her, she felt as if he was warming her up with just looking.

"_Honey_, this is Kirihara Akaya. I hope you'll be good friends and maybe more," her mother said sweetly with that sick voice of hers. Sakuno at first didn't register the 'maybe more' and thought that she could become good friends with this nice-looking, pretty hot guy. Ryuzaki Arina closed the door as soon as she got Kirihara in.

Kirihara went in. "Hello," he waved his hand a little at her, grinning. "This is your room? Wait, I don't know your name yet…"

Sakuno quickly replied, "It's Ryuzaki Sakuno. Sakuno will do." She bowed. "Please sit." She added, pointing to her bed. Kirihara sat on the edge of her bed, scanning around her room, as if fascinated. It was true that her room was pretty interesting. The amount of photos stuck here and there was enough to entertain him. Then there was the big shelf of books and a few posters.

Kirihara looked around all the photos, and because some had pictures of the Seigaku regular team two years ago. Sakuno knew there were a little more pictures of Ryoma than the rest of the team, but she hoped that Kirihara would not notice that. He grinned at some of the photos.

"Umm…what school do you go to?" Sakuno tried to strike up a conversation. Kirihara turned and looked at her. He flushed a little. She looked incredibly cute; wearing a pretty big (maybe it was size larger than she actually was?) gray Roxy jacket with a pinkish, white tank top that looked a little low-chest than normal standards and a little denim miniskirt. Resting comfortably on her collarbone was a beautiful necklace with two or three tiny leaves and two larger leaves that were pointing to each other.

Sakuno also had a shoe cupboard, even though it was a small one. She had begged her grandmother to let her have one. It wasn't in her bedroom though, so at least for now, Kirihara wouldn't know she was crazy with Prada, Jimmy Choos and Marc Jacobs and so on. Sakuno loved all her shoes, even though they cost hell a lot. Talk about Sakuno being all big girl now. She even felt herself that she was much, much less modest than she was when she was twelve; one of her boots were four inches high, something that would have made her freak if she was twelve now.

"Sakuno-chan?" Kirihara asked, waving a hand In front of her face. Sakuno snapped out of her thoughts. Kirihara was holding a picture in his hands. Shit. Why was this picture not in her private albums and now firmly clutched by the cute guy? She hoped dearly that Kirihara wouldn't ask any awkward questions.

"Is this your boyfriend?"

Her eyebrow twitched. Damn. So much for hoping he wouldn't ask awkward questions. A question as straightforward as this; she wouldn't be able to escape. What if he was somehow a secret agent sent by her mother to try and be her friend and make her spill all her secrets out? Damn it all.

No doubt, Kirihara was holding the 'accidental' picture of her and Ryoma-kun. The one in the sushi shop. The one caused by Momo and Eiji's meaningless little fights over food. And now it was putting her in a bad situation; Sakuno glared at the picture.

"Erm…well… yes…"

It was better to say the truth than to let another reason pass by to indicate she didn't trust her mother. Her mother knew she didn't trust her. But then, she already saw Ryoma escort her home. It did make her wonder, however, why on earth her mother was introducing someone like Kirihara to her?

"Kirihara-san," she began. Kirihara interrupted, saying, "Akaya is fine."

She continued, "You still haven't told me which school you go to." Kirihara looked surprised. "Don't you recognize me? Those photos mean you must have been watching the Seigaku tennis team two years ago very carefully. Surely you must have watched our school's matches with Seigaku?"

"Erm… truth is I don't really remember much," Sakuno said, biting her lip. Actually, ever since Ryoma had started the nationals in grade 7 with his team, Sakuno rarely came. Towards the end, she practically didn't come to the matches and focused on her studies more than ever. It was a soothing comfort after realizing that Ryoma would never recognize her efforts to indicate she cared for him; loved him.

Grade 8 was when she was really distant and started to stay shut in her shell even with Tomoka around. She was so determined to put everything behind her, and make her family acknowledge her. Yet, up to now, her parents still fail to acknowledge her.

"I'm a Rikkaidai student of course!" Kirihara chuckled. "I played a match with Fuji Shusuke one time. Did you watch that one?"

Sakuno could faintly remember that one, yes. The one match she'd really seen Fuji-senpai get really angry.

"Yes… I think I did," Sakuno muttered. Kirihara suddenly made a movement and before she knew it, her body was underneath his, and his elbows on each side of her head, to support him. Sakuno let out a small gasp, her chocolate orbs wide with confusion. Her mouth slightly open, her face full of shock.

What was he _doing_?!! Kirihara bent down, and Sakuno was about to push him off, but he wasn't aiming for her lips. His mouth reached her ear. "What's wrong… S-a-k-u-n-o-chan…?"

Sakuno shuddered. His hoarse, sexy voice was sending shivers down her spine. Damn. She shouldn't be reacting like this!

"What… are you doing?" She managed to whisper back. He leaned closer and closer to her face, and let his messy jet-black hair touch her bangs. Sakuno felt scared. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, feeling tears almost ready to spill from her eyes.

God… she needed Ryoma-kun. Now.

But when she opened her eyes again, Kirihara was not on top of her. He was sitting on her chair, ruffling his hair, looking extremely apologetic. He sighed. Sakuno sat up, and stared at him.

"…I'm sorry."

"…W-what made you do it?" Sakuno asked, shock still evident in her voice.

"I…I don't know. You just…" Kirihara began. A slight blush adorned his cheeks. Then it disappeared as he smirked."You're just too pretty for your own good."

Sakuno had to fight to stop a blush from forming on her cheeks. At the moment, she didn't know if Kirihara was friend or foe yet. She didn't know anything about his background, except for the fact he's a Rikkaidai student. And he plays tennis. She could feel a knot in her stomach, and slowly she was absorbed into her own thoughts, Kirihara's hasty, apologetic voice going further and further away.

Something told her that Kirihara wasn't just someone to 'be her friend'. Something told her that her mother was up to something, and Kirihara was the key to it. But what? What could Arina possibly do?

Whatever it was, Sakuno knew it wouldn't be something she liked.

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"Well, thanks for coming today, Kirihara-kun," Arina purred at the tall black-haired tennis player. Sakuno had to stop herself from miming puking at her mother's back. Once her Arina had turned to face her, she had already recomposed her face to a nice, cheery and innocent expression, as if she wanted to do nothing else but to say good bye to this, admittedly, very, very cute 'friend'.

"It was nice knowing you," Sakuno said cheerfully. Probably the only truthful words in what she was had prepared to say. "I hope you come by often and have lunch with us or something."

Kirihara grinned. "Yeah, nice knowing you too." Waving he started walking towards the wooden gate outside. Sakuno inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He was polite and even kind of nice at first, but he sure the hell shocked her when he pulled her down beneath him.

"So, _honey_, did you have _lovely_ time with Kirihara-kun today?" Arina immediately pounced on her. Sakuno stopped herself from twitching. "He's a handsome little boy. I know you two will be good _friends_," she emphasized on the word friends. "But… who knows? Maybe more." Arina chuckled, but it sounded more like a cackle to Sakuno. She watched her mother go upstairs, still 'chuckling'.

Sakuno grimaced.

"Ahem."

She froze. Shit. She forgot her father was in the living room, clear view of her and well in earshot of her conversation with Arina just then. Forcing the revolting look off her face with great effort, she turned around and smiled at her father.

"Yes?"

"Ahem," he coughed politely. "I just wanted to say, that that boy Kirihara Akaya is a much better candidate than the insolent young brat who escorted you home. You should do well to listen to your mother and I. We are doing this for your own good. This is why we decided to come home early. We will make sure that you have fully chosen the correct candidate for yourself, before we start the next course of our business trips." He peered almost menacingly at her through his office-like spectacles.

Sakuno managed to force a smile. "Thank you very much, Otou-sama, for especially taking effort to care for my future." She gripped her jeans, fearing she couldn't hold her anger much longer. Yes, they were starting to make a move now, slowly but surely taking over her life.

"Just remember. Our family is very prestigious and needs to uphold certain rules. We do not want filth to enter in our family tree, disgracing the roots."

Sakuno's expression turned hard, her fist clenched. She didn't care if her father saw it. She was too angry at the moment to care; how dare he call Ryoma-kun filth??! Had he no respect?? Ryoma-kun understood her more than her father ever, ever will. Casually throwing names at people he didn't know; he was the worst kind of scum.

Insult her he may, but insult Ryoma-kun and she won't keep her claws back.

"I don't think you have the right to call Ryoma-kun filth!!" She said loudly. "You know nothing about him; you have no right to judge him! Stop trying to act like you're the King of the World and start appreciating different kinds of people! You and mom are just too blinded by what you call status!!!"

"Who CARES??!!!" Sakuno shouted, her face a furious red. Her father looked shocked, then his expression turned extremely hard. "You have no authority to tell me what to do or think. You are my daughter, and as my daughter, you will do well to obey me and be thankful that your father is doing much for you!" He said in angry tone.

Sakuno immediately regretted her outburst. But she couldn't help it; not when someone who just couldn't understand what it was like to be inferior, tried to insult someone as caring as Ryoma. True, Ryoma was cocky and arrogant at times, but it was just an emotional shield he used to stop people from thinking he was weak. Sakuno couldn't remember how many times he showed his concern not only for her, but friendly concern to Tomoka, Katsuo, Kachiro and even Horio. And even the former Seigaku team knew there was more to his emotionless mask.

Right now, him as a tennis buchou, she knew how much he cared for his fellow teammates, just as how Tezuka-san used to, when he was the buchou. She stared defiantly at her father.

"Our family tree will not be ruined by a stupid, naïve and pathetic girl like you, just for her own selfish needs!"

He continued angrily. Then he paused, and his expression slowly turned back to the normal menacing look.

"Tomorrow, you will go out with Kirihara-kun on a specially organized date by your mother, and I trust you do not need me to tell you that you will not be given a chance to voice your opinions nor will you be allowed to refuse."

Sakuno's eyes widened. Her expression turned to hatred. "Why are you forcing me to go on a date with a boy I hardly know?"

There was no reply. Her whole body shook in anger. Turning heel, she stomped her way up her bedroom, slamming the door shut. Suddenly her cell phone rang.

Sakuno, still quite angry, was about to switch it off, when she saw who was calling.

Ryoma-kun.

She couldn't not answer it. Ryoma rarely phoned her.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ryuzaki."

"Yes…?" Sakuno said softly. Tears sprang into her eyes as she heard Ryoma's familiar, even sweet, voice through the phone.

"Um…I was wondering… uh… could… I mean, are you, uh… busy tomorrow? Because, uh, I was wondering… um if, you uh, wanted to eat lunch, together…"

Sakuno smiled through her tears, her heart melting at the sweetness of Ryoma to ask her out. Of course it was hard for him; he was not the type to ask people out and Sakuno even used to think he had speaking problems. Then she remembered. She was going to be forced to go on a date with Kirihara.

Tears spilling harder, and her nose getting quite runny. She tried to sniff them away. Ryoma heard it and Sakuno could almost visualize his kind of slight frown. God, he was so sweet.

"Hey… are you… crying…?"

Sakuno hurriedly wiped her face, forced herself to laugh, hoping to cover the sniffles she was emitting uncontrollably. "O-Of c-course n-not…"

"I don't believe you." Was his blunt reply.

This time Sakuno really managed a smile. Ryoma-kun was Ryoma-kun after all. But the hard bit was …

"I…I'm sorry… R-Ryoma-kun… I-I c-can't c-come t-tomorrow…"

There was pressured silence. Sakuno hated it. "…Why?"

"I-I… h-have… um… s-something t-to… d-do…uh… well, um, s-see you l-later, b-bye," Sakuno quickly choked out, and slowly pressed the red button on her cell phone. Tears flooded her cheeks and soaked her skirt.

Ryoma stared at his end of the phone, feeling quite hurt actually. Just when he'd gotten up the courage to ask her out properly… she'd rejected him.

He knew that he couldn't help but admit that Sakuno sure had hurt him a lot more than he would have imagined.

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A/N Hmm... oh dear, not a lot humour in this chapter. I told you that this chapter would tell you more about her parents' attitude. Now, readers, time to press the little "Go" button for submit review and REVIEW!!!! I LOVE IT WHEN READERS REVIEW Eiji will give you a big bear hug if you review – how about that?? xDD Oh and don't worry, there definitely will be humour next chapter, when Sakuno meets Sanada, her first ever, real conversation with another prodigy at tennis who wears a cap teeheexD REVIEW!!!!!!!!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

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A/N Oohh… last chapter kinda surprised everyone eh… ahem anyways Kirihara is not gonna be the bad guy, so please don't get the wrong impression of him. He's totally cute later on, but sadly he'll have to step aside… OOPS talking too much xD

Thank you SO MUCH for reviewing, my lovely readers, and I'm trying to update as soon as I can XD So… enjoy reading!!

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Ryoma felt sick. Sitting on his bed, with only his headlamp on, causing the room to be dimmer than it should be, he had to restrain himself from yelling in confusion and frustration. Why the hell did Ryuzaki suddenly decided she didn't want to spend time with him? Wasn't she always hoping to spend more time with him?! He didn't get it at all, neither did he like it at all. There he was, about a minute ago, trying to calm himself and hoping for the best when he dialed her phone number, then to be rejected so painfully his hands started shaking. True he didn't cry, but admittedly, he had never been rejected in his full, tennis-filled life.

Was it something to do with the way he acted around her a while ago? No, it wasn't. They were perfectly happy before, before…

Ryoma widened his eyes, a thought just zoomed into his head. Her parents…

It had to be her parents. Who else would give Sakuno such a bad time? He'd met them briefly before, and the immediate impression was he hated them. It was like they properly didn't approve of him in any way. What did they expect anyway? A glasses-dude, suit-dressed, handsome preppy-looking boy? Definitely not.

And Ryuzaki was not going to get away with the lame excuse of 'i've got something to do' because he was definitely not going buying that. It was a lie all right, and Ryoma wasn't going to rest until he knew the truth. Of course, if it was something like a family reunion, then it was too bad, but he didn't think it was, because Ryuzaki wouldn't lie about those things.

It had to be something else.

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"Echizen-kun, I trust you know that the play as been forwarded?" Kumi-sensei's dismissive tone traveled through the receiver and into Ryoma's ears. Ryoma yawned, making sure she heard him at the other side, and he could almost picture his stupid drama teacher scowling. Well she could do nothing. They were on the phone and he'd never heard of any teacher giving detention on the phone.

"Yes," Ryoma replied in a bored tone. "…Sensei, you done?"

Kumi-sensei growled. "Actually Echizen-kun, are you sure you've heard the latest forward on the date of the play?" She said gritting her teeth. Ryoma's ears perked up a little.

"…What?"

"The play will be forwarded to Monday, which is tomorrow."

Ryoma's eyes narrowed. "But I thought it was on Tuesday..."

"Yes… but there has been a change, and so you had better work it out with the rest of the crew and I DO NOT want to hear ANY problems concerning you and Ryuzaki-san," Kumi-sensei said in an extremely warning voice. "Is that clear?"

The sound of Ryuzaki's name made Ryoma's heart clench but he willed it in, trying to reassure himself that he was okay with it; that she didn't really mean anything to him. Tried he did, but it was obvious that it didn't work. That feeling of hurt last night when Ryuzaki rejected him, had undoubtedly alarmed him. He hadn't thought he would get hurt. His pride was injured. As musings invaded Ryoma's ears, therefore he heard nothing afterwards about what Kumi-sensei said.

"Echizen-kun, please do not forget to bring the required equipment and the headphones I let you borrow from school. We can't do without the headphones. That is all, Echizen-kun have a good day."

The phone clicked. Ryoma put down the phone, his mind somewhere else. Deciding it was good to let out emotion by playing some tennis, he grabbed his gray Fila t-shirt (the red one was too small for him and was, much to Ryoma's reluctance, thrown away by Nanako), slipped his feet into his trainers and tied his shoelaces. Slinging the tennis bag over his shoulder he said loudly, "Ittekimas!"

Before he landed one step out the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around to find his annoying dad behind him, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"Where you goin', Ryoma? Are you off to a date with a hot nee-chan? Or sweet Ryuzaki-chan?"

Ryoma closed his eyes, counting to ten for patience. "Neither."

Nanjiroh looked at him in surprise. His eyebrow wrinkled. "Then what?" Ryoma rolled his eyes. His tennis bag was right in front of his oyaji's eyes but obviously he should have known his dad had the IQ of zero? Whatever. He didn't care. He didn't care about anything; all he wanted to do was to get that slight clenching of his heart out. He didn't know what wrong with him; he had no health problems. So what was it? Disappointment? Frustration?

"Bye," he said with his back turned, bluntly. Nanjiroh watched his back. There was something not quite right with the way Ryoma was acting and his shoulders were just that tiny little bit slumped. Suddenly Nanjiroh knew what it was. Smirking to himself, he walked back into the house.

"Heh… guess he's just too dense sometimes."

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The yellow, slightly dirty tennis ball bounced back and forth, demonstrating pin-point skills and precise control. Ryoma closed his eyes uncomfortably. He wanted this to end. Frustration filled him. His eyes snapped open irritably, mirroring his feeings. That sudden burst of anger made him swing harder on the ball coming back to him and it smashed into the wall. The ball was stuck in the dent itself made, and tiny cracks surrounded it.

Controlled he was enough to not throw down his racket whenever he was as aggravated as this, he couldn't help with that sudden increase of force. Grabbing his ponta on the bench, he drank forcefully. He tidied up his racket and sucked his tennis ball into his short's pocket.

Walking through the town, where cars zoomed past him, his trainers squeaked slightly on the pedestrian pavement. A funny little shop caught his eye. It was a new ice-cream café. Ryoma wrinkled his brow. He didn't particularly spend his time on comics, but his stomach grumbled in protest. Obviously he was hungry after all the exercise, but Ryoma much preferred going to eat burgers, then going into this very much looked like a prissy teashop. Still, the price for the snacks and drinks didn't seem too expensive.

He gently pushed the door. The café wasn't very full, and Ryoma noticed with a lurch in his stomach that most customers were couples. Trying hard to concentrate on what he wanted to eat, he scanned the board with the menu laid out above the counter. At last he decided on plain vanilla ice cream and sprite; he didn't mind western food for lunch, although he would have preferred Ponta for the drink.

As he sat down and spooned a mouthful of white ice-cream sprinkled with colourful sprinkles and chocolate cream on top. Suddenly something caught his eye.

On the far side of the café, a little two-seater sofa seats, was….

The auburn braids bounced a little as the girl with large chocolate brown eyes nodded slowly, and opposite her was… the Rikkaidai tennis regular, Kirihara Akaya. Ryoma stared. He stared so hard, his heart suddenly hurt so much, his hand instinctively put itself over the place his now painful heart lay, clenching his shirt.

_**What**__**… the … FUCK?!!**_

Ryoma really, really hoped his senses were wrong, he hoped that all evidence of his sense were wrong, wrong. The girl wasn't Ryuzaki. She couldn't be.

He gritted his teeth, the only thing that was stopping those tell-tale tears from falling. The Prince of Tennis did no cry. If he did, he sure would not cry in front of the public. He tore his eyes away from the sight.

"-Haha, yeah I'll let you meet all the Rikkaidai regulars in time, they're totally… weird you know?" Kirihara laughed, his cheeks rosy, and himself emitting a tiny glow of delight, as if his mere presence would make you laugh; like his laughter and happy mood was contagious.

Sakuno smiled despite herself. She had thought she wouldn't enjoy this forced date, but it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Kirihara was fun to be with, and he made her feel so relaxed sometimes, just like how a friend would make you feel. Not that Ryoma wasn't her friend as well, but sometimes she was scared at whatever actions he made, because she still had so much to learn about him, and sometimes she couldn't fully get what action represented what.

"R-really?? I'd like to see them," Sakuno said. "But I… won't know what to s-say…"

Kirihara chuckled and ate a spoonful of multi-coloured ice cream. "No problem, you'll love them. They're totally wacko. As in, they're so serious it makes me insane sometimes!" He grinned at her. Sakuno smiled. "But, er, don't tell them that…"

Sakuno let out a hearty laugh. "I won't."

Meanwhile, Ryoma was finishing his cup of ice cream. He had his cap on, his face now expressionless, emotionless. He had gathered up his emotions and sucked them all to a corner, and once again, he became the 'Ice Prince'. Wiping his mouth, he stood up, took one last glance at the two sitting in the corner, one of which he thought really loved him, and cared for him, and was his … girlfriend.

-

The first girl he cared.

-

Loved.

He left the café.

Sakuno was still chuckling with Kirihara. Then she had this ominous feeling that something wasn't right, like the last time she didn't realize she forgot to bring sun cream last time she went to the beach with Tomoka and it was the exact same feeling, except she somehow felt this was much, much more important.

Her eyebrow creased a little, staring out the window. What was Ryoma doing now? Was he playing tennis? Alone? With his team? Or his old team mates, Momo for example? Or was he at home, studying? Maybe he was playing with his cat, Karupin and eating dango? The mental image of Ryoma-kun eating dango brought a bright, glad, smile to Sakuno's lips.

She missed him.

It was only a day, but they usually spent Sundays together, ever since their relationship started.

"…Sakuno-chan? Sakuno-chan??" Kirihara's cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts. Sakuno looked at him. "W-what? S-sorry I was thinking…"

"It's okay. So, where do want to go next?" Kirihara wiped his mouth as he said this. Sakuno wiped her mouth too, delicately, and looked at the hanky she used to wipe. There was a printed picture a chibi Ryoma. It was the one she drew two years ago on a tennis ball. She asked her friend to print the picture onto her favourite hanky.

She looked at the hanky sadly, her eyes wanting to water, but it would look stupid if she suddenly started to cry. She was, no doubt, reminded about last night when she rejected him on the phone. Guilt washed over her. She bit her lip. If only her parents hadn't come back…

The two walked out the café.

"Ano, Kirihara-san, where are we going?"

"We're going to the public tennis courts… if you don't mind?"

Sakuno shook her head. She always watched Ryoma play tennis at the tennis court built near the temple, courtesy of Ryoma's father.

"Let's go then!"

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"Ahhh!! So many… different people!" Sakuno let out a small gasp. She didn't really notice public tennis courts. Kirihara chuckled.

"Yeah, wanted to try public courts and play the guys who go there just once."

Kirihara took out his racket. Sakuno stood next to him, looking around. There really were a lot of people. She wondered if all of them would chase after them and try and beat them up after Kirihara beat all of them in tennis. Suddenly she caught sight of a tennis player wearing a cap. But it wasn't a white cap. It was a dark blue one.

The guy looked oddly familiar. His expression was serious and blunt, maybe even stern. Sakuno racked her brains mentally to try and remember where she'd seen him, but she couldn't.

"Ahh! It's Sanada!!" Kirhara said in a extremely surprised voice. "Wow!! Sanada playing in public courts?!! OI SANADA-SAN!!"

Sanada turned around and saw Kirihara waving energetically at him.

His expression stayed serious. "It's rare to see you here, Akaya."

Kririhara grinned at him. "Same to you."

His gaze switched to Sakuno. "…And you are?"

Sakuno twitched. His tone sounded like he was superior than her in every level. "Ryuzaki Sakuno desu. Yoroshiku." Sanada stared at her for a while, then turned to Kirihara, with a piercing gaze.

"I presume… this is your girlfriend?"

"No, no, no, no you got it ALL WRONG!!" Sakuno immediately said, rather loudly. Kirihara sweat-dropped. Sanada looked indifferent as he folded his arms (his racket was on the bench).

"Well, I am sorry I made a mistake. In future, I would prefer it if you did not shout."

Sakuno nearly wanted to bash him. "I wasn't shouting, you-" She cut herself off, and looked the other way, her face now defiant and eyebrow twitching. If she really said 'asshole' to him, it'd be the end for her. Though now she come think of it, she really couldn't think how Sanada would punish her anyway. But she was a civilized, young and polite girl, it really wouldn't do to call him asshole.

It was just the way he talked. Like he was _so_ above her. Not.

Kirihara let out a nervous, awkward laugh and said hurriedly, "Well, why don't let's get on court, Sanada-san?" Sanada closed his eyes, and giving a curt nod, he walked towards the court. Glad to see the back of him instead of his stupid piercing gaze, Sakuno stuck her tongue out at him.

Fortunately, Kirihara nor Sanada saw it. Well, who cares? She did what she wanted to do.

If it was Ryoma, he would surely insult him with a few smart words and a smirk. She couldn't do that of course, but she had her ways of having revenge.

-

By the time Kirhara and Sanada had finished the rest with just pure skill, the people in the court were lessening because almost everyone of them lost. The very few who tried for second turns were gone now. It was still only three-thirty too.

"Good thing I brought snacks," Sakuno muttered to herself as they sat down, Sanada included much to Sakuno's annoyance.

Her revenge was yet to come.

As they were eating, Sakuno had asked to sit next to Sanada so she could ask questions. Kirihara would have let her even without the reason anyway. With an mischievous grin, she squirted the ketchup deliberately towards Sanada's direction.

"Oh! I'm so sorry…" Sakuno said sweetly. Bits of ketchup landed on Sanda's nose and lower cheeks. Sakuno could see his brow twitching despite his efforts to remain 'cool'. More to come, she thought.

She took out a mirror (good thing she always had one in her bag). And putting it in front of him, she said in impish voice, "Oh dear… you've got a teensy, tiny little ketchup on your nose, Sanada-san."

"I don't need any _mirror_ to know I have ketchup on my face," Sanada looked disdainfully at Sakuno's mirror. "I will deal with it on my own. Mirrors are a waste of time and used only for vain little girls who try desperately to be someone they are not." He said with that annoying, superior tone of his. Kirihara looked from him to Sakuno, and then Sakuno to him, in a state of obvious confusion and puzzlement.

Sakuno fought to remain calm as she planned her next step. For the time being, she would ignore him. Kirhara seemed to have sense the tension between those two because he tried to switch seats with Sakuno.

"Er… Sakuno-chan… maybe it's better if you switch seats with me…?"

"It's ok, Kirihara-san," Sakuno said sweetly, and shooting a nasty look at Sanada. He pissed her off, obviously, but she wasn't going to show any claws yet. Not yet.

She stood up holding a pitcher full of orange juice. "Do you want some orange juice?" Kirihara replied, "Yeah, thanks."

She poured some into his cup. Turning to Sanada on her left, she asked the same question. He nodded curtly, his eyes closed. Sakuno twitched and poured. Unfortunately her hand slipped a little and poured onto the table. The orange juice splashed everywhere, some landing on the chair and Sakuno, but the most landing on Sanada.

He snapped open his eyes, looking at his now dripping with orange juice t-shirt. He gazed piercingly, even menacingly at Sakuno. Sakuno wasn't scared at all.

"Oh… I'm so sorry." She gave him some toilet paper. She'd gone to the toilet earlier, and in order to make her plan a success, she'd collected some toilet paper from the floor. Of course, she didn't pick it up with bare hands. The toilet paper was already wet. She smiled sweetly at him. Sanada glared at her. Without a word, he stood up and stormed off to the toilet.

Kirihara watched the whole scene in silence. Then he let out a whoop of laughter, clutching his sides. "AAHHHAAAAAA!!!! Did you see his face?? Oh my god I think it was the first time I've seen Sanada's face get so pissed…" He said, still laughing, rubbing his eyes. "Apart from tennis, that is."

Sakuno grinned. Who knew it was so easy to annoy Sanada?

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Ryoma wanted to stay away from his house for the while. He didn't want to have to answer any stupid questions from his dad. Hoping tennis would make him feel better, he went back to the play-matches-with-the-wall tennis.

Pong!

Pong!

"Keh…" Ryoma's expression remained hard as he hit ball after ball against the wall, using more force than necessary. Was this the end of their relationship? After all he put it into it? Even when he … loved her so, so much and still do? He didn't want to lose Sakuno, but it was true that Sakuno looked like she was enjoying herself. He thought Sakuno wasn't that sort of person. He thought she wasn't the type to be unfaithful… to cheat on him.

Well, it may not have been as serious as 'unfaithful' but it sure looked like a date to Ryoma. What did Sakuno see in Kirihara? Was he so not good enough?

He slammed his fist against the wall.

A droplet of salty water landed on his delicate, button nose. The nose Sakuno loved, the nose she said was "cute".

The rain began pelting hard.

He was so… so cold. Maybe this was the first time this happened to him. Maybe that's why it hurts so much.

The first time always hurts. A lot.

-

He stood there, in silence. Her innocence, her adorable heart-shaped face, her large chocolate orbs, her tiny little upturned nose, the soft auburn hair, all was so beautiful.

And that beautiful glass of her reflection in his heart…

Had just shattered into a million pieces.

Did he just say the word 'beautiful'? Did that word even exist at all before in his dictionary? Was he musing? He let out a hollow laugh.

He was too naïve.

But it also meant... he'd got his answer.

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A/N Oh my god… did I update too late?? So, so, sorry… school started a week ago already . PLEASE REVIEW PEOPLE!!!!! Wow… depressed Ryoma hmmm… it's his first time after all ;) I'll update as soon as I can, so tata for now xD


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

A/N ahhh…. Sorry I haven't updated for so long. I get so little time on weekends when I'm allowed on the comp but now, hohoho nice school closure to catch up on 'stuff' This fic is almost ending (but I'll start a new RyoSaku one as soon as I have the opportunity)

Some T schemes in this chapter

* * *

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"Ohayo!" Sakuno said cheerfully to Tomoka. Tomoka grinned at her. "Today's the play. You excited?"

"Nah… more like nervous," Sakuno said, her voice wavering at the thought of the play today. Tomoka patted her on the back. Sakuno hadn't seen Ryoma for so long, (A/N actually it wasn't so long, but love makes the heart think its long anywayz xD) it was a relief that she would definitely see him today. But she still had this weird indescribable feeling that something was not right. She couldn't point her finger at it, though. The date with Kirihara was actually kind of nice, plus the fact that she'd actually annoyed the famous Rikkaidai vice-captain of tennis, Sanada Genichirou was enough to send her to a fit of giggles.

The play was after school, somewhere around 6:00pm. She wanted it to end quickly, so she could spend some quality time with her real boyfriend, the boy that she cared most about, the boy who loved her for who she was, flaws and all. He was so different from her parents. She had missed his smirk. His smirk was one the cutest, yet the most exasperating feature of him.

She walked to Ryoma's classroom. Since there was still ten minutes before registration, she wanted to at least talk to him for a while before classes started. The usual chit-chattering reached Sakuno's ears as she approached the door. She slid it open timidly, and slowly stepped inside. She tried to scan for the familiar dark-green head, but there was no sign at all that Ryoma was in his classroom. And he was supposed to be.

"Ah- Ryuzaki-san!"

Sakuno turned her head to find Horio waving at her. He was at the corner of the room with a couple of other classmates, presumably playing cards.

"Ah, ohayo," Sakuno said distractedly. Before Horio could even greet back, she hurriedly added, "Have you seen Ryoma-kun?"

"Echizen? I don't think so. Dunno what he's up to," Horio shrugged. "Then again, he was always like that. He never really liked to tell people where he was going or what he was doing."

Sakuno bowed her head sadly, scuffling out of the classroom. Horio looked at her weirdly. Then he scoffed. "That Echizen… does he even treat Ryuzaki-san properly as a girlfriend? I'd do better than him any day!"

* * *

Sweat poured down a smooth porcelain skin. Rough, calloused hands gripped the red racket, and the boy prepared to start another long rally with the wall. Just as he was about to throw the ball in the air to start, the ball slid from his slender fingers, and dropped somewhat sadly onto the ground. It rolled towards his trainers and stopped. Ryoma stared at it, his hazel eyes cold and unblinking.

He hated this.

He hated yesterday.

He hated everything that happened yesterday.

At first, he thought he should have been glad Kirihara hadn't tried to kiss his girlfriend. Yet the feeling stuck in his stomach. It was like he had been punched in the stomach that moment he saw the black curly hair with auburn braids. It was new, this feeling. But it also seemed vaguely familiar. That didn't make sense though. To him, however, it did. It was like that time when he saw Karupin get all friendly with the seven-year-old girl next door. He felt totally betrayed.

Maybe that was it. He'd been betrayed.

_Well, there's no point in trying to think about it anymore. You've already decided, haven't you?_

* * *

"Echizen-kun!!" Kumi-sensei glared daggers at Ryoma. He had arrived five minutes before the play was about to start. Staring at her blankly, he asked, "What?" The sensei twitched. "Will you try and be more pro-active? Co-operative? We really need to get on here! The parents are filing in already! The Principal's going to be watching this himself this so you'd better-"

"Okay, okay…" Ryoma rolled his eyes. Sticking his hands in his pockets he sat down in front of the lighting equipment. Ryuzaki was already there. She looked up, her chocolate brown orbs staring at him. She broke into a smile.

"Hello, Ryoma-kun."

Ryoma closed his eyes and ignored her. Sakuno couldn't understand why Ryoma was being so ignorant. Instead of crying, like she would have done had that happened two years earlier, she said furiously, "What is wrong with you, Echizen Ryoma?!"

Ryoma's eyes narrowed at her, his expression turning from the blank look to a piercing gaze.

"What?" He growled.

Sakuno was starting to lose her temper. She had moped about since last night and this morning, worried to hell about this guy and he wasn't even paying attention to her. "This isn't like you at all!! What's upsetting you? Can't you just let it go? I know having a tennis-filled life is sooo exciting, but there are other things in life as well you know? Do you know anything other than tennis? Are you just going to continue acting arrogant when actually you know nothing other than tennis? Do you realize how your actions can hurt someone's feelings?!" Sakuno yelled angrily. "Do you even have a HEART??!"

Ryoma's eyes widened, his fist clenched.

But Sakuno wasn't finished. "Or are you just going to pretend everythi-"

"SHUT UP!!"

_SLAP!!_

-

-

Sakuno brought her hand to her cheek, her eyes widened, staring at him. Then tears flooded down her cheeks. Ryoma instantly regretted what he'd done the second he saw the girl's face. Her right cheek had reddened quite badly.

"…Ryoma…kun…" She whispered. "…I… can't… believe… what… you…just…did… I… can't BELIEVE YOU!!!!" Sakuno screamed out, overwhelmed by tears. Ryoma tried to touch her cheek, to make sure it wasn't as bad as it looked, but Sakuno slapped his hand away.

"Ryoma-kun no BAKA!!! I HATE YOU!!" She pushed past him and disappeared down the stairs. Ryoma stood there, staring at his right hand, the hand which delivered the Twist Serve so beautifully, and had also just slapped the first girl that he had cared for. His hand was shaking. What had he done?

* * *

Ryoma clenched his fist. Then he raced downstairs, all the while thinking where Sakuno would have gone. He didn't care about the fucking play. They could play all they wanted. He just wanted to tell Sakuno so badly now, that he didn't mean any of that, and he hadn't meant to slap her. He tried her classroom, his classroom, the lockers, the stairs, even the roof, which was their favourite place together. But she wasn't anywhere, which made him start to worry.

What if she got kidnapped? Or tripped and hurt herself? Or was being bullied by some outsider, if she really wasn't inside of school? Thoughts made him pick up his speed.

Ten minutes later, long had the play started, but he was surprised that nobody had been sent to find him and Sakuno. He shrugged. It was better that way; he could concentrate on finding Sakuno. But wherever he looked, she wasn't there, and he was starting to lose hope. Where was the damn girl? He wanted to hold her, to kiss her and to say he loved her, but never would he admit that to Momo and the others. They'd make such a comical and exaggerated reaction he'd have the time of his life being embarrassed. And his reputation and ego would be squashed in one go.

Suddenly he realized there was one place he hadn't searched. He wasn't sure if she would be there, but he had to try anyway. He ventured towards the school's yard, which was connected to the tennis courts. The soft breeze tickled his ear and hair as he ran to his favourite tree there, the beautiful sakura tree.

It was pretty, and he had to admit that. It was pretty tranquil, since everyone was inside the school, watching or performing the play. He found the silence immensely pleasant, but slight sniffling could be heard amongst the rustling of the leaves. Ryoma walked around the tree, and saw Sakuno leaning against the trunk, her tear-stained face turning towards him the minute his shoes stepped on the green grass.

She stood up quickly and tried to walk away but Ryoma grabbed her arm, and pulled her to him. He saw, to his dismay, that her right cheek was still kind of red. She struggled at first, trying to push him away. But his grip was firm and he wrapped his muscled arms around her, tucking her head on his shoulder.

Moments of silence passed. Then he whispered softly in her ear, his voice calming her down at once, "Gomen."

-

She cried on his shoulder. Ryoma undid her braids and caressed her hair, knowing that he wouldn't be able to phrase properly just how much he regretted doing what he had done to her.

When her emotional side subsided, and stopped crying, Sakuno closed her eyes, enjoying his embrace and his warmth, the way his arms were around her; the way their bodies seemed to melt into each other.

Then, he pulled back a little and lifted her chin up, staring at her wide, round orbs. Hazel met chocolate brown. Then he pressed his lips on hers, once again marveling at the softness of her skin. He smirked through the kiss. This was the Sakuno he knew. Sakuno herself absorbed into the kiss and was not surprised when Ryoma bit her bottom lip to ask permission. She granted it and within a second Ryoma felt tingly feelings running up and down his spine, and had pushed both of them down onto the soft grass.

His body was lowered so down he could feel her chest against his. He felt himself wanting to blush at their sudden closeness but he had asked for it anyway. Their legs tangled as their little breaks became shorter and shorter, and each kiss was … harder than before. Ryoma seemed to think he couldn't get enough of her.

Sakuno let out his name in a moan, which just made Ryoma want more. He kissed her till her lips were slightly swollen and her cheeks pink, with the mark Ryoma had made before. He daren't cross the line, having just been reminded by his own conscience that he was fourteen.

He lifted his head a few centimeters from her head, gazing at every aspect of her face. Then he grazed his lips on the mark he made on her cheek, an obvious sign of sorry and asking for forgiveness. He never was good with words.

Sakuno smiled softly. A tear slid down her face. Ryoma wiped it away with his thumb.

"Don't cry."

Sakuno smiled wider. She fingered his dark green locks teasingly. "…Why?"

Ryoma paused. He smirked. His eyes twinkled at her as he said, "Because it makes you look ugly."

-

"WHAT??" Sakuno cried indignantly and began hitting him comically in the chest, then resided to tickling. Ryoma couldn't stand tickling and she knew it. They rolled around the grass, with Sakuno laughing, tears in her eyes, while Ryoma grunted, red in the face, obviously trying to refrain himself from laughing but looking more like he was constipating.

There was no need to say it; she had forgiven him.

* * *

Sakuno urged Ryoma to hurry up back to the lighting section. They knew they'd sure be in trouble, and exactly what sort of punishment was in wait for them, Ryoma couldn't tell. But he sure knew it wasn't going to be nice.

Sure enough, when they reached the lighting section, Kumi-sensei was standing there, her black eyes seemed to electrify with anger, her whole body shook. She said nothing, probably because she couldn't shout anyway, it would definitely be heard since the lighting section was only above the audience. Sakuno sat down timidly. Ryoma sat down, looking nonchalant. The second-years told them quietly what to do.

Sakuno glanced nervously at Kumi-sensei, then at Ryoma. Ryoma shot her a reassuring glance, even thought he was not sure what was going to happen to them after the play.

When the curtains had closed, signaling the play finished, the audience burst into applause, and Kumi-sensei grabbed both Sakuno and Ryoma's hands and led them out first.

"Come with me."

Sakuno's stomach dropped. She was supposed to meet her parents after the play. They had decided to meet her the lobby, and talk to her about 'important things' as they had said. At this rate, she would not only have to make her parents wait, but also have to tell them why she was late.

They entered Kumi-sensei's office. "May I ask, what is it that I taught wrong?" Kumi-sensei started, her hard voice sending shivers down Sakuno's spine.

"I said it. The play is very important. We spent weeks on this play, even months perhaps, to make sure the play was a hundred percent success. And I want to know, why, you were not there, contributing for the school's benefit when the rest of the school was?" She didn't look at them. Sakuno bowed her head shamefully. Ryoma kept his blank look.

Kumi-sensei heaved a sigh. "Unfortunately, I cannot let this go. I will call your parents and inform them of this incident, and each of you will receive a week's detention. I will be discussing this matter with the principal. What to be done about you two will soon be told to you both. I am very disappointed in both of you."

She glanced up. "You may leave now."

* * *

As soon as Sakuno and Ryoma got out of her office, Sakuno wanted to break down. The phone call to her parents… what would they do once they've heard? She couldn't even predict what would happen to her, to her relationship with Ryoma that had just mended.

"Ryoma-kun…" Sakuno said, tears sliding down her face. "What are we going to do?"

Ryoma wiped her tears away and softened when he saw her face. "We'll work something out. And you still haven't told me about your parents. They didn't look very happy when they saw me with you."

Sakuno turned away. "They… hate me. And they hate me with you too. They think I should go with someone who has a 'proper dream' as they say it. Someone who is … of a higher status." Ryoma narrowed his eyes.

"I hate them."

"They don't understand you at all," Sakuno said, her expression hard. "They're just a bunch of narrow-minded idiots who can't appreciate people of who they are."

Ryoma smiled inwardly. So she really did have a possessive side about him too. This was what had made him attracted to her in the first place. She understood him. And she wasn't afraid to accept his flaws. She'd even try to change him.

Suddenly Sakuno's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Ne… Ryoma-kun?"

"Hn."

"Did you wash your hair this morning? It… stinks."

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A/N LOL end of chapter 16 I AM INCREDIBLY SORRY that I didn't update sooner, and PLEASE PLEASE forgive me oh yeah, and PLEASE REVIEW!!! I LUUUV YOU, my sweet readers!!! And you CAN'T possibly be so cold and ignore the little Mr. Review; he'll feel so lonely. Your conscience will eat you up; so like I say, please review ;)


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis **

A/N Thank you to everyone who reviewed, thank you to all of you who have supported me so far

I totally LOVE you all. After being constantly bugged by a certain someone cough cough, I thought I'd better update xD.

Most of this chapter is focused on Sakuno, and some of her past – which explains why her parents are so … mean

Here it is, chapter 17; enjoy!

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She stood there, glowering at her parents defiantly. The father's eyes narrowed.

"I want to be with him. He's… my everything. And if you try to break us, I won't let you." Sakuno said, her tone harsh, her voice cold, even though deep down, her heart was pounding, she was sweating and her hand trembling slightly. She'd practiced so long to get the courage to say this.

Ryuzaki Santosu's cold grey eyes pierced her, and she felt her confidence disappearing, and she barely stopped herself from flinching. She clenched her fist, willing herself to look into those eyes without feeling intimidated.

"I don't think, it's really up to you whether you'll let us break up you two or not. You have no power. No power at all."

Her father paused, then slid his spectacles higher up his nose. "I think we left you for too long alone, with my mother. She's spoilt you; let you do anything you like and thus you have now grown up to be a insufferable and ignorant brat."

Sakuno narrowed her eyes.

"That is why, you have chosen an equally ignorant _gaki_ just to satisfy your needs."

Ryuzaki Arina had kept silent all through her husband's scolding, but at this she couldn't keep her malicious smile off her face. "Now Sakuno honey, if you had just listened to me, you would have made your father proud by ditching that rude boy and going for Kirihara-kun."

Sakuno turned away. That word honey was so fake it made her sick. After all, the only one person she had ever heard her mother call honey for real, with real loving was… definitely not she. She inwardly smiled to herself, rather bitterly; the word 'honey' that she used so often on her was a sign that Arina had not forgiven her.

"I've had enough; I've given plenty of chances, Sakuno. There's no other choice for you. It's better for you to leave."

His words stung into her, like poison running through her veins. He couldn't possibly have meant what he said, did he?

"What… does this … mean?" Sakuno whispered, horrified, her body shaking. She glared at her parents in disbelief, her heart thumping and she stared at their cold, cold faces; they can't be her parents. They just can't be.

"WHAT DOES THIS MEAN DAMMIT!!!" Sakuno screamed out. Tears were flowing down but she didn't care. All she wanted was to deny everything, to deny what that those two people were her parents.

Both of them were silent. Sakuno clutched her head and ran from them, slamming her bedroom door. She fell onto her bed, tears dripping onto her pillow as she muffled her face into it. Memories flashed back to her.

Flashback 

Swallowing a huge gulp of air, Sakuno managed to push away her shy thoughts and uncertainty. She leaned over to Ryoma's face, so that their faces were an inch away from each other.

_Flicking his forehead, Sakuno stretched her face into a smile._

"_Mada mada dane, Ryoma-kun."_

**End flashback**

That was the first familiar moment, probably the start of everything. Just one little boost of confidence then, and she managed to link two thin threads together again, after the nothings in second-year where she and Ryoma practically didn't say a word to each other. That time, Sakuno had matured, and she realized that it was pointless chasing after Ryoma when he wasn't interested.

Then this year, the feelings came back, and she once again found out that these feelings weren't easy to kick out once they caught hold of your heart. She'd found herself knowing Ryoma more than she ever had, and somehow found herself wounding even deeper into him.

Now, everything that she'd gained was going to disappear; erased, like a board eraser running clean through a doodled white board, leaving it blank and empty. Tears dropped, her brown orbs closing slowly.

Soon, those memories would be so much further away to reach, not knowing when or how she would get them back. And all she'd be left with would be those stinging, black memories of when she was young. Ryoma was the only one who had been able to help ease her guilt every day that had so badly consumed her a few years ago.

* * *

"…" Ryoma panted silently, gulping largely at his ponta, while watching Fuji elegantly sip his water bottle. He rubbed his face roughly with a towel, staring at the orangey-red sunset. Thoughts ran through his head. A lot had happened recently. An image of a chocolate-orbed girl popped into his head. 

Deep in thought, he hadn't noticed Fuji smiling at him curiously. "Sa, Echizen… you seem a little distracted. Something bothering you?"

Damn Fuji and his ability to read people quickly. Fuji had this curious power of being able to analyze out people's feelings by their behaviour, most of them being extremely accurate, which, to be frank, sometimes scared the shit out of him.

"Nothing…" he muttered.

Fuji lifted an eyebrow. "You know, as your former teammate you could at least talk to me a little. I'm not going to bite you."

Silence.

Fuji didn't seem to lose patience though. "… It's about Ryuzaki-san right?"

Ryoma ogled him. Just how did this guy know everything? Was he that easy to read?

Wiping his face and brown tufts with his towel, he chuckled at Ryoma's expression. "It's not like I'm physic or anything. You're just too easy to read sometimes. Especially at these… _relationships_, which you are, inevitably, quite bad at." Fuji smiled.

Ryoma glowered at him.

"Ma, ma joudan dyo," Fuji continued to smile.

Silence overcame again. This time however, it wasn't dead air. It was peaceful. Ryoma felt strangely calm and relaxed.

Fuji spoke again, this time he wasn't smiling, and he was staring at Ryoma with his mesmerizing blue orbs, those circles that threatened to suck you in.

"Your role as a man… is to protect her."

Hazel eyes widened.

* * *

He did protect Ryuzaki a lot of times that was true. But there must be more to it if Fuji was the one who said it. After all, whatever Fuji said always had layers, meaning you had to read underneath the underneath. Or something like that. Ryoma had almost forgotten, since when he had been acquainted with Ryuzaki. 

He knew so much about Ryuzaki it was starting to get to his head and give him headaches.

He didn't know, before that she was so strong.

He didn't know before, that she was so delicate in every other way.

Was it meant to be that he sucked at high-tech so he could have Ryuzaki to help him? Whatever the reason was, Ryuzaki had become an irreversible part of his life, and he knew he'd find it extremely hard if he wanted to break the bond.

Not that he wanted to. But right now, there was nothing he could do for Ryuzaki. She was bearing it all alone and he hated it. He'd never felt so useless in his life, ever since his oyaji taught him tennis. He'd always been able to conquer almost anything with tennis, so far.

* * *

"You can't do this..!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!" Sakuno screamed flinging her glass of juice at her mother who was standing behind her father, smirking to herself. Her mother calmly stepped to the right and let the glass of juice smash to the floor, a loud chink of broken glass. Sakuno's face was wet with tears, red with anger, her knuckles white. 

"We have every authority to do this." Ryuzaki Santosu replied.

"I don't even know why we're wasting our money on you, such a great opportunity and you're still acting so ignorant," Ryuzaki Arina said, not even bothering to look at Sakuno and instead concentrating on her manicured nails.

"Why…" Sakuno said quietly. "Why do you always ruin my happiness? Why do you always come when I'm the happiest, why are you taking my only future away…?"

There was silence.

"That's easy." Arina's steely cold voice echoed in the room. "Because you took away Saki's future, it's only fair that I take away yours."

Sakuno's eyes widened. "…"

Ryuzaki Santosu closed his eyes.

Sakuno looked up at her parents, both hatred and pain written on their faces. And it was all for her.

"Get out of my sight. Now."

Sakuno wrenched the door open and ran out the house.

She ran. And ran, until her house was so far away she couldn't see it. She sagged onto the grass. A playground. How did she end up here? Memories flashed up to her, memories of her when she was three.

Flashback 

"Saki!" Arina's honey voice called out.

A child barely two years old with dark, beautiful blue hair (she was like her father) climbed out of the little see-saw seat and toddled over to the loving embrace of a pretty woman with red locks of hair, sparkling kind blue eyes simply glowing with love.

A braided brown-haired four-year-old stared at her mother and her little sister, love shown so clearly. Sakuno wanted cry, but it wasn't the first time she saw something like that happen, something that would never happen to her.

"We're going Sakuno," Arina's sharp voice rang in her head. Sakuno nodded obediently , climbed down the net and ran up to her mother and walked home along with her mother holding Saki in her arms.

-------- (A/N Another flashback, two years after the previous one)

"SAKIIII!!" Arina's voice screamed, all the while a few nurses struggled to hold her back.

"What are you doing to my Saki!!??"

Arina's auburn hair was messed up, tears running down her cheeks. Sakuno clutched the plastic seats tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. She was crying too. But she was a good girl, and she had to stay put. Was Saki going to be okay?

The curtains swished open, the doctor came out. He looked extremely tired, and Arina strode forward, grabbing his white coat.

"Where is she? She's okay right? It's just a little accident right? She'll pull through, Saki my girl has always been very healthy, she's-"

The doctor shook his head slowly, looking away. "Ryuzaki-san, I'm sorry. She was too young, her body couldn't take the force the vehicle hit her with. She has terrible head injury and I'm afraid she won't–"

"SHUT UP!!" Arina screamed. "She's here right? Take me to her! NOW!!"

The nurses looked at each other. "But, madam, we've already taken her to the mortuary..."

"Just TAKE me to her damnit!!"

Sakuno watched her mother walk away with the nurses.

Walking away from her.

She knew it anyway. No way could she ever be more important than Saki – she was only an extra in the family. Before Saki was born, her parents hadn't paid any more attention than they did now anyway. What difference does it make?

But she didn't understand. Was Saki okay? Is she now in a nice, soft and white hospital bed, like Arina told her one time about her being born, that being the only time her mother talked so much to her.

A kind-looking nurse approached her. Sakuno couldn't help seeing that this lady had a very sad look on her face.

"Little girl, your mama will come and get you later okay? She's now…" the nurse's eyes didn't meet her face. "She's now… checking up … on your little sister. So stay here and wait for your mama okay?"

Sakuno nodded again, her little braids flapping. She was overridden with guilt. Even for her age, she knew she had done something wrong and it was her fault.

Suddenly Mama's hand grabbed her and pulled her up roughly. Sakuno stumbled before lifting up her head to look at Mama. Arina's face was contorted with grief, anger and sorrow.

But most of all, her eyes were flaming. Sakuno flinched.

"…What happened."

Sakuno turned away trying to wring herself free from Mama who was gripping her arm so tightly it hurt.

"I…I didn't, didn't know it would happen!" Sakuno burst out, crying.

"I … I was just, just playing catching with Saki! I passed b-ball t-to her and she m-missed i-it a-and s-she went t-to g-get I-it b-because it r-rolled d-ddown onto t-the r-road…" Sakuno sobbed, rubbing her eyes fiercely. "I-I didn't meant to…she w-was p-picking u-up b-ball, a-and c-car… h-hit-"

_SLAP_

Sakuno fell on the floor, losing her balance after Mama slapped her hard in the face. A large red swollen mark appeared on her right cheek. Sakuno looked up with her large chocolate orbs into the cold blue ones of Mama's. Was…there not even one ounce of love in those chilling eyes? Was she trash after all? Even when she worked so hard in kindergarten, in her new school, always getting compliments from her teachers? She bowed her head lower and cried harder.

She cried… and cried.

Like any child would.

"…How dare you… as an older sister… YOU should have picked up the ball, not Saki!!"

"You… you just took away Saki's … my… darling Saki's life!!" Arina shouted out, raising another hand to slap her now only daughter's left cheek. Sakuno knew it. Mama talked like she wasn't her daughter at all, and Saki was an only child. She shut her eyes, waiting for the hand to strike her face. A sleek, white hand grabbed the hand before it could land its blow.

Arina turned around furiously. A equally auburn and braided but short-haired woman was standing behind Arina, a pained look on her face. The structure of her face alone told you she was the kind of person who always wore a smiling face. A man with dark skin and long tied-up hair stood behind that woman, with a dark green-haired boy about her age sitting on his man's shoulder.

The boy had amazingly bright eyes. Feline, but hazel. She drew her attention back to mama standing in front of her, looking angry and pained with grief.

"Please, calm down. You should not be causing such a big commotion in a hospital. Nor should you be slapping your daughter for an accident that no one wanted it to happen. Accidents are accidents; your daughter is still too young to be able to have done anything," the lady said firmly. Obviously this pretty lady had been overhearing Mama scold her.

Arina slapped this stranger's arm away. "She's not my daughter any longer!!"

Sakuno's eyes widened, shock pulsing through her body.

She'd always known that mama didn't like her. That Mama didn't really love her and didn't like the way people called Sakuno her daughter.

But Mama actually saying it out loud hurt her.

**End Flashback**

-

-

-

((00-00))

gaki - brat

This chapter is finished. Thank you for reading xD I'm sorry I didn't update quicker, but there's been so much going on. This is not the end, don't worry. There's still one chapter left… I think.

Please continue to support me - REVIEWS, they make my day ;)

For some reason writing this whole thing made me thirsty. Please - (dun dun dun) REVIEW (ta-da!!! Flowers shoot out of … nowhere?! xD)

See you next chapter


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don****'t own Prince of Tennis **

A/N This is the very last chapter. Hope you like it. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed my story, thank you to those who supported me and still do – ippai ippai lovuu 3 (love you guys lots lots xD)

And thank you to all those people who have read my story up to this point. You make me so happy xP Even my mom's proud of my work… sorta… lolx she doesn't really understand the story, and I can't blame her, because it's Prince of Tennis fanfiction and she has no idea what Prince of Tennis is about...

I'm probably not going to do another long story like this again… but we'll see xD If I get a nice BIG pile of reviews for this chapter, I might consider writing another RyoSaku chapter story… (hint, hint) lol

Never mind - Enjoy!

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"Oi Echizen."

Momoshiro stuck his head inside the changing room door. Ryoma nonchalantly striped off his shirt and turned around. He glanced at his Momo's grinning face before flinging his shirt full of body sweat and smell onto the table. His face was wet with water and he turned back to his locker to look for a spare shirt in his bag.

"You gonna come with us to eat hamburger?"

Ryoma quickly pulled on the clean shirt and grabbed his bag.

"Eiji-senpai's treating so come out and-"

But Ryoma had already pushed past Momo. "Sorry I can't…" And he broke into a run afterwards. Momo watched him run into the distance, and slowly a sly grin spread across his already red cheeks from tennis that afternoon.

"Guess when it comes to love…so young, so young." Smirking he walked away.

* * *

Ryoma paced outside the door, having pressed the doorbell twice already, thoughts speeding around his head. Sakuno was avoiding him. Again. And this time, he felt it definitely had something to do with her parents again, but it sure as hell won't stop him. 

Suddenly he could hear loud footsteps approaching the front door. Ryoma stuck his hands in his pockets, waiting for worst.

But it wasn't Sakuno. It wasn't even that mother of hers. Nor was it the stern-looking, I'm-in-charge-of-everything-you-do father.

"…Kirihara Akaya." It wasn't a question. The statement lacked emotion, as Ryoma always kept his emotions to check when it came to talking to people like him. He wasn't that surprised anyway.

"Echizen Ryoma. Who you're looking for?" Kirihara ruffled his hair absent-mindly. His eyes didn't have that menacing look, and he seemed much more serene than he ever did. Ryoma didn't let him off the hook though.

"You know perfectly well who I'm looking for. Where's Ryuzaki?" Ryoma asked as though he needed Sakuno to copy her homework. Kirihara raised an eyebrow and this casualness.

"She's not here."

Ryoma narrowed his eyes. "…You're lies are too obvious. Mada mada dane." Smirking at Kirihara, he took hold of the doorknob and pushed it, along with his foot, clearly indicating that Kirihara was not going to stop him if he could help it. Kirihara rolled his eyes and reluctantly let him in. Ryoma didn't even hesitate as he made a beeline for Sakuno's room, not even sparing a glance at the older tennis player.

He knocked on her bedroom door. He could hear shuffling, then footsteps and a sigh.

"Mou, Kirihara-san, I told you I don't want to be-" She stopped. Her chocolate orbs widened, her soft brown hair looked messed up. Ryoma took a good look at her, and saw those hateful bags under her eyes.

Ryoma slung his bag over his shoulder and smirked at her. "So, you going to let me in?"

Sakuno's cheeks warmed up. She stuttered, "O-okay….c-come in." Ryoma walked inside her bedroom and sat on her bed. Sakuno didn't whether or not to close the door. She decided to close it in the end because she felt more secure that way, and it made her feel she had her little space to herself, where she could make her own decisions.

Ryoma seemed to be making himself comfortable. But Sakuno could tell he was quite nervous too. And Sakuno had no idea how to break it to him without hurting their relationship permanently.

**Flashback**

"Sakuno."

Sakuno took in a deep breath, in and out. She waited, trying to be calm but inside her stomach was in knots. Whatever her father was going to say, she was not going to lose her temper, because it would only make things worse. Not that they were any good to start with; her parents were already furious with her ever since Kumi-sensei told them about their great 'contribution' to the play.

"We've talked for a long time about this. And we've decided, with your best interests at heart, to send you to England," Ryuzaki Santosu said in a calm voice. Sakuno was suspicious now. Her father never spoke to her in such a tone – they were serious about this. She glanced at her mother beside her father. Her mother's face was a picture of glee and sickening smugness. What was she so happy about?

She was not going to leave Japan.

She was definitely not going to leave Ryoma.

Not if she could help it.

"Well, I believe you have not yet grasped my best interests so I think it would be best to forget about this idea, after all you can't seriously think I can manage on my own in England, can you?" Sakuno tried to throw in a few more logical reasons, hoping this would satisfy her parents.

"We know perfectly what to do with you. Your Aunt Madoka will take care of you over there. I assume your English is up to standards, because that will be the only form of language to communicate with the people around there," Arina dismissed with a careless wave of her hand and a false smile.

Sakuno managed to force the corners of her lips to widen, as she said, "I don't think it's quite necessary for me to go to England. After all, my studies are going fine here at Japan, and-"

"You don't have a choice. We've bought a ticket for you. You're leaving the end of this year, which is, in two days. Details on the ticket." Ryuzaki Santosu took out an airplane ticket from his suit pocket and handed it gingerly to Sakuno.

Sakuno did not take it.

Arina's eyes narrowed. Her face slipped into a frown. "I suppose you still haven't any idea about what situation you're in. We can disown you right here, right now. And we'll make sure that you will have no one to go to, except England. I don't think you have enough money to buy an airplane ticket to anywhere else, much less survive there."

"I'm warning you," Arina continued with a dangerous voice. "There's nothing we can't do anymore."

Sakuno knew what that meant. She wasn't even going to be able to escape to Obaa-chan if her parents disowned her. They would make sure of that.

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes but she willed them back as she snatched the ticket.

"If that ticket is ripped up, we're not buying you another one."

Sakuno glared daggers at them both before running to her room. She crashed down on her bed, and wept. Tears blotted her bed and pillow as she stared out the window, her vision blurry from the tears.

**End Flashback**

Ryoma lied down on Sakuno's bed, and closed his eyes relaxingly. Sakuno sat on the edge of her bed, gazing at her boyfriend's peaceful face. It seemed such a long time since she could actually see Ryoma so relaxed around her, and that they were alone together.

She moved a little closer to him, lifting a hand to caress his cheek. The texture was soft, yet there was this toughness in it, and she began moving up to his eyebrows. She ran her fingers delicately through his eyebrows. Just as she was about to remove her hand from his face, a hand caught her wrist.

She found herself looking in his lazy, hazel eyes. They stared at each other.

Ryoma slowly moved in, and pressed his lips lightly on hers. Sakuno felt his protective arms slip round her waist and pull her in closer. Sakuno had her arms around his neck.

This very moment, Sakuno wanted to stay forever and ever.

Ryoma's mouth moved from hers to sideways, just as a lone tear slipped from her eye. Ryoma snapped his eyes open, gazing at her intently.

"…What's wrong?"

Sakuno tried not to look at him. Ryoma frowned. "Look at me."

"I…I…" She couldn't bring herself to finish. Ryoma turned Sakuno to face him, and stroked her hair. He knew that Sakuno wanted to tell him what was wrong, but he wasn't going to force her. All he could do now was comfort her. Not sweet, dropping with honey words.

He pulled her roughly into his arms. She gave a small 'eep' and Ryoma nearly smiled. Their bodies molded together, and Ryoma pushed Sakuno's ear down to where his heart was. Sakuno heard it thump-thump against her ears, and shut her eyes.

"I-I h-have to leave…Japan…t-to England… b-but I-I-"

"Shh…" Ryoma hushed. "…Ah…" No more words said. They held onto each other as silence embraced them. Ryoma tried to think the positive side of this news, and he definitely knew it wasn't her fault. He also knew she had wanted to say she didn't want to go.

"Ne… Ryoma-kun." Sakuno's voice came out slightly muffled.

"Hn."

"Will you forget about me? Will you go out with someone else while I'm gone…?" Her voice wavered slightly as she said this.

Ryoma smirked. "…Hn."

Sakuno sat up abruptly, an indignant expression on her face as well as hurt. "You will…?" Ryoma raised his forefinger and tapped her little pink mouth, which was currently pouting, and said, "Baka."

Folding her arms across her chest, she snorted. Ryoma chuckled. "Don't worry about me… what about you?" Sakuno's face turned from pouting to a horrified expression. Ryoma smirked widely at her, his arrogant hazel eyes twinkling at her. "You're worse at dealing with… _admirers_."

KAPOW!!!

Ryoma's whole body went flying to the closed door. Sakuno snorted as she said proudly, "I, unlike you, will be able to control myself. _You_ should be the one to be careful; goodness knows how many fangirls you have out there!"

Ryoma sat himself up on the floor, rubbing his head comically. "Itte…" Scowling, but really grinning inside, he said, "You've quite the strength there…"

Sakuno grinned proudly. "Don't you say! I am very strong!" She flexed her arms, her auburn braids flying in the air as she shook her head arrogantly. Ryoma smirked, "Oh really… are you sure that's not just fat?"

-

Oops.

-

Taboo.

-

But Ryoma's face had broken into a mischievous grin, so it may not be 'oops' after all. Sakuno's chocolate orbs turned dark. A black aura steamed out from her body. Her eyebrow twitched as she advanced on her 'sweetheart'. "I dare you to say that again…"

Ryoma glanced at his watch and mockingly said, "Oh dang! It's getting late. I'm going home." With that he opened the door and was about to make a quick escape from the heaving fire dragon, when he turned his body back slightly to say his last and best trademark phrase with that irresistible smirk.

"Mada mada dane."

"ECHIZEN RYOMA!!! COME BACK HERE!!"

* * *

"Ja… Sakuno-chan, be careful over there okay?" Momo's concerned eyes gazed over at Sakuno's smiling face. He held out a good luck charm and a strangely figured, wrapped object. She took them gratefully and bowed. 

"Arigatou, Momoshiro-senpai. Hontoni arigatou… but what is this?" Sakuno pointed to the strangely figured object. Momo winked at her. "You'll know soon enough. Just don't open it now. Open it on the plane or when you get to England. I promise you'll like it."

Sakuno stared puzzlingly at the object but asked no further questions. As she was about to turn around, she was enveloped into a big, warm bear hug. Red hair shook in front of her eyes as she strained her neck to see who it was.

"Nyaaa!!!! Sakuno-chan!!! Don't go!!"

"K-Kikumaru-senpai…" Sakuno managed to stutter out. Eiji was choking her. She was turning slightly blue until a stoic voice said steadily, "Eiji-senpai, you're choking her." Eiji immediately released her, scratching his head lightly, and chuckling nervously. Sakuno breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hehe… ochibi don't get mad…" Eiji glanced at Ryoma. "It was a friendly hug!" Eiji said frantically.

"Now, now Echizen, don't get jealous," Momo added slyly. Ryoma glared holes at him and Momo's teeth chattered. Sakuno looked from Momo and Eiji's scared faces to Ryoma's glowering face, and shook her head. Momo quickly went round his kouhai's side and slung an arm over his shoulder, a peace offering. Ryoma's expression turned blank.

"Ok ok!! Geez…" Momo rolled his eyes mockingly.

Ryoma turned to Sakuno. "This… is for you." He handed her a wrapped present. Sakuno took it, and looked at him. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she was surprised that those were happy tears. Ryoma assessed her carefully, trying to remember exactly how she looked like now and lock it up safely in the walls of his brain memory. Besides, he loathed taking pictures.

"I'll see you soon, Ryoma-kun…"

Then, as Ryoma never did this, and never in a million years would anyone had expected him to do it in public, he moved in swiftly and pressed his lips one last time on hers, enjoying the soft texture and the familiar strawberry scent.

Whistling and howling could be heard from two noisy senpais as they witnessed this open affection to Sakuno from Ryoma. Ryoma ignored them. He didn't even bother to look at his oyaji, who would surely be breaking his face with that utterly disgusting look of glee and that satisfying, 'I told you so' grin.

"Be safe." He gazed intently into her eyes, memorizing those swirling black and chocolate colours in her eyes. He slipped his hand into his khaki shorts and pulled out a piece of gum. He popped one into his mouth. Sakuno had to resist from giggling. That gum was obviously just an excuse for being quiet. Ryoma liked gum enough, and he knew that he had less chance of people bothering him about being silent with chewing gum.

The gum package still stuck out from his khaki shorts pocket. Sakuno stared.

White and pink.

-

Strawberry flavour.

Suddenly Sakuno broke into a smile. Ryoma has clearly taken a liking for strawberry now. Maybe not exactly the fruit, but the flavour and scent of it.

"Come back." He said quietly, and if Sakuno weren't giving her fullest attention, she wouldn't have heard it.

But she did.

-

-

Smiling widely, she said, "Ja ne… Ryoma-kun."

"Ah."

-

* * *

Tearing open the paper, Sakuno laughed out loud at the present Momo had given her. It was a small figurine of Ryoma in the position about to serve the ball. It was a perfect model; the arm stretched out, the blue wristband on his right arm, the shirt slightly lifted as he rose in the air about to hit the Twist serve. 

Smiling to herself, she came to unwrap Ryoma's present. She left this last, because she knew her boyfriend would definitely give her something nice. By the definition of nice, she hoped it was something that represented their close bond to each other…

It was a small velvet blue box. She opened it carefully, unable to believe what was inside it. Her peach-coloured fingers trembled slightly.

-

It was a petite silver ring with a tiny yet shining heart.

-

She slipped it slowly onto her fourth finger.

-

Tears sprang to her eyes.

-

It was perfect… just for her.

* * *

_(Ten years later)_

"Just one last question, Ryoma-sama!!" Said the enthusiastic woman reporter with shining eyes. Ryoma rolled his eyes. His ruffled dark green hair, and simple white blouse which had a three buttons unbuttoned made him more the appeal. Really, he called himself dressing simply today. After all, he hadn't even combed his hair properly. Then again, he never did. He liked the way it went messy.

Besides, he didn't give a shit about this stupid interview. It was his manager who set him up to it anyway.

"Do you currently have a girlfriend?" The reporter gushed out, batting her eyelashes at him. Ryoma sighed inwardly. Not that question again.

Same old, same old, he thought wryly. He'd been asked this question about a million times since the first beginning of his career as a pro Tennis player. And he'd been giving the same old answer for about a million times too.

"No."

He'd been accused of having gone out with the female famous singer Reiko, but it was obvious they were just acquaintances in work. They were friends, he supposed, but just because his manager had arranged him to meet her at a restaurant to discuss something, spies and all those were following him everywhere and it managed to reach the newspaper front cover.

The reporter looked disappointed for a moment for the lack of juicy news, then her eyes lightened up. Ryoma twitched. He knew what that was. All those silly reporters thinking they actually have a chance with him.

"Excuse me, I have to go, Ryoma said coldly. He left the table. Striding casually and obviously taking his time, he caught himself in the mirror and smirked inwardly as he felt people in the restaurant stare at him as he approached the front door. He swung it open.

He didn't notice someone about to come into the restaurant and bumped right into him… or her.

The person had short, shoulder-length hair and seemed like the typical sort of woman you see around. She was around his age, definitely. But he couldn't see her face properly because she was picking herself up from the floor and her wavy bangs blocked his view. Being the gentleman he was, he held out his hand to her.

The woman caught hold of his hand timidly. Ryoma had meant to pull her up and get it done with, but he had pulled too hard, obviously not predicting she would be so light, and toppled ungracefully backwards.

Ryoma swore as she tumbled on top of him, her books and files scattered on the ground.

Her already frantic expression from before was now even more embarrassed and nervous as she picked herself up clumsily, all the while apologizing profusely.

"Sumimasen deshita…are you alright?" Her strangely familiar chocolate eyes gazed concernedly at him.

"I'm fine…" Ryoma grunted as he picked himself up. He bent down and helped the woman pick up her books and what looked like test papers from the ground. They both lifted up their heads and saw each other clearly for the first time.

Those chocolate orbs…

-

Hazel eyes…

-

Smooth auburn hair…

-

Messy dark green wet tendrils…

-

"Ryoma-kun…?"

-

"…Hn. Mada mada dane."

-

And she was wrapped into a tight hug, the warm hands pulling her body closer protectively. As Ryoma held her hand tightly, he searched for a certain silver object which would hopefully be on her finger from all this time.

His finger brushed over a cold, thin metal surface, and traced the outline of the tiny heart.

-

-

OWARI

* * *

Sumimasen deshita – I'm sorry 

A/N This is the end!! Thanks for reading Hightech is not for Ryoma and I hoped you enjoyed it xDD God, this took me long to finish… then again, I'm glad it has. The very best thing about writing is you can get your feedback from readers, so my lovely sweeties, don't forget to REVIEW!!!!

Ja ne! xD


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